Ethan Xavier and The X-Men
by Fiction.Story00
Summary: Ethan Xavier, the son of Professor X. How will he fit to the team of X-Men? What will his roll be? He has yet not choose a side. His mother's or his father's? And who's heart will he break? This is the story of the son of Charles Xavier, the one with powers beyond his age... (Season 1)
1. Prologue

Hi, This is Season 1 of Ethan Xavier's story. This is kind of my first Story that might be anything good, so with that I hope you all like it and I would appreciate to lern what you think and if I am doing this right or have to change something.

 **Disclaimer** **: I will say it here and now: I don't own anything but Ethan and some of the spin off plot that follows Ethan.**

 **With that said, let's the story begin...**

* * *

Prologue

The small boy in the passenger seat look out to the world and was fantasizing about what thing was out there. He could see the people outside their house, being in the garden or washing their car. Being all normal.

The father who was driving watch as his son was all in his dream world. He was worried that it wouldn't go as he had hope and he wonder how the future for his son would turn out to become. He hadn't plan on getting this boy, but now he had and he wouldn't let anything happen to him.

"Are you feeling fine?" Charles ask his son.

"Yes dad, it's not like I gets a panic attack every hour." the boy replay.

"I'm just worried about you." he told his son and mess his hair up. "Now, you promise to warn me if something is to happen and you will be nice." his son didn't respond and just turn back to look out through the window. He had no interest in sitting in the car; go with his father to this little important mission as he calls it. "Ethan?" Charles repeated to get an answer from his son.

"Why am I even with you?" the son ask, turning back to face his father. "I'm just going to scare them of or something."

"Why do you believe that?" Charles ask him. "You know they has a daughter in your age who has powers, that's why we are here. To see if they allow us to help her. You know how scared she must be if she can't control her powers, just like you."

"You are the one there to help her, I'm just going to be in the way." He turned back to the window, thinking the conversation was over.

"Your powers are most likely to be in the same… stadium. Her father, an old college friend to me, Jonathan think she can move objects with her mind."

"Think?" the boy ask and turn to look at his father, once again dragged in to the conversation. "We are travel the whole way here because you think she has a so you call gift?"

"Your attitude, Ethan."

"Whatever dad, I'm not going to help you with this." the boy said and Charles sigh as he drove to the house of Grey.

Ethan helped his father out to his wheelchair and walk by his side to the door. He could feel people from the other houses stare and wanted to use his powers to make them stop, but Charles stop him.

"Just ignore them, Ethan." he told him. "They are just curious. Can you please knock on the door?"

"They should know it's not polite to stare or spy." Ethan said as he walked closer the door. He however stopped as he got a unusually feeling in his head. Out of reaction he placed his hand against his forehead and took a deep breath. He was ready to fall or something, but nothing happen and the feeling just was there.

"Ethan, are you alright?" he just nodded a yes and knock on the door. Ethan walk back to stand behind his father and the door soon open and a man stood there, unsure to open or not before he knew who it was. "Jonathan, don't worry it's just me, Charles."

"Charles?" the man said and open the door more to be sure. As fast as he saw it was his old friend in a wheelchair he opened the door and let them in. "Come in, before anyone see you."

"What's wrong, old friend?" Charles ask as he and Ethan enter and stood in the hall and Mr. Grey close the door behind them.

"The neighbors are just a pain in…" he stopped himself, thinking about the boy who was with them, "they won't stop stair or spy on us." Mr. Grey corrected. "Jean is upstairs, she doesn't like to be down stair that often when we have guests." Mr. Grey walk to the stairs and call up that they had guests and it was time to come down. Ethan heard the small reply of 'okay' coming from a room upstairs. "Are we going to the living rooms while we are waiting?" Charles nodded and Ethan just follow them. He didn't say anything and didn't intend to do it either. The feeling however was still there, and he understood why the second someone was heard walking down.

"Oh, you must be Ethan, Charles's boy." a woman had entered the room from the kitchen and look at the brown-haired boy who didn't responded. Charles look at his son and call out for him, he didn't get any answer either. "Is something wrong with him?" Mrs. Grey ask.

"He has some problems with his power, but not like this, let me check something."

At the same time, Ethan was in a deep conversation. Not playing any interest in the people around him.

" _You don't want to be here. You're angry."_ the voice in his head said. He titled his head to the side and block his father out when he felt his presence.

"He is blocking me." said Charles and the adult only look at Ethan in wonder.

" _My father made me come against my will."_ Ethan thought back to the voice. " _Have I no right to be angry then?"_

" _Guess you do."_ it was silent a while before the voice broke it with a question. " _Why are you and your dad here?"_

" _He wanted to come and help someone, I guess it must be you."_ He answered.

" _I don't need any help, you can leave."_ the voice told him and of some reason he didn't like the order the voice had given him. Not only that, he didn't like to get orders from someone he didn't knew. Especially when the person seems to have so wrong.

" _That's a lie."_ he said and could feel the other person become irritated. " _I could feel the neighbors stare at me outside, but it wasn't because of me or my father. They are scared, aren't they?"_

" _They don't know me."_

" _Neither do I think they care."_ he told the voice honestly. He could judge it was a girl's voice as kind it sounded, but also irritated, like then Ororo was irritated at him for breaking something or not being careful. This voice was only lighter and softer. Kinder thought the irritation.

" _If you don't want to be here, why do you care? Why does your father care, he has you to help, don't he? You can't control your powers either."_

" _No, I can't. But I think I'm much better than you are right now."_ it didn't come a replay as the foot step in the stairs start walk again and soon a girl enter the room and Charles understood who she was and the look she gave Ethan he understood they had spoken. The look was not anger, not sadness, nothing between. It was more questioning. More curious. What had his son and Jean talk about, Charles wonder.

"Honey?" her mother ask and was going to walk over, but Charles took her hand and shook his head. He was interesting on what had happened between the two kids.

"Give me a reason to trust your thoughts." the girl spoke after reading Ethan's mind about his father's hopes for the further and the mansion he lived in had the right training. The right nice people. She thought it look lovely, but a mind could be change as wish and he could be tricking her. He had his own powers she yet didn't understood.

"Give me a reason to lie."

"You want my powers and are going to kidnap me." the girl responded.

"And I would risk letting you into my mind then?" Ethan ask.

"Not like you can stop-" she cut herself off as she felt his presence in her mind disappear. "How?"

"There's a lot to learn about me, but you can do so much more than you believe."

"So, you just suspect I will trust you and go along?"

"Your parents trust my father and I trust him, believe it or not. I just hope you trust my word that I will be kind and help you."

"When tell me what you can do." Jean order him. "How will I be able to trust someone I don't know. Let me read you, Ethan Xavier."

" _My powers is not that much to an interest."_

" _When why does your father seem to be worried."_

" _Alright, welcome in…"_ Jean felt his shield disappear and it happen like a shout. Everything came. His life with his father at the mansion. A boy at his house who could shot red blast from his eyes. A woman and a man with other powers. When Ethan's powers, his pain to manipulation. She soon realized it was a lot of things he could do. Control people's mind so they see, feel, smell and even taste what he wishes. He can sense others with gift and manipulate small among of elements.

"Ethan! Stop!" Charles call out as he watched Jean fall to her knees and scream of pain. "Ethan?"

"Jean!" Mr. Grey and Mrs. Grey call out and try to walk to her, but there was an invisible wall between them and the kids. "Charles!" Mr. Grey call out, "What is happening?"

"Their minds, they are connecting somehow."

"What are you meaning?" Mrs. Grey ask.

"Jean, she is in his head and he is letting her in, further than I have been."

"What does that means for her?"

"For her nothing more than she learns who he is. For Ethan, she might be able to do something I can't." Charles answer. "She might be able to stabilize his powers."

" _MAKE IT STOP!"_ It felt like someone was screaming just by his ear the loudest they could. It was painful but not deadly. " _PLEAS!"_ Ethan open close his eyes and open them again as he found himself no longer in the Grey's living room. He was in an empty white endless room. He got sight of the red hair girl on her knees, crying.

" _Jean?"_ he asked and walk over, every step making it harder to get closer.

" _Make it stop, make it stop, please!"_

" _Jean, you will have to help me!"_ Ethan yelled. She looked up at him with her tearful eyes. "My mind is a mess with my powers, I didn't intend for you to come this deep." he scream to her and keep trying to reach her, but it was like the girl become further and further away from him.

"How?" she whispered, but he could hear her all clear. "It hurts."

"Let me help you," Ethan said, calmer and softer. "You are rubbing my control with your feelings, I need you to calm down so I can take control." he didn't get any respond. "Jean, breath. Take deep breath and think about each breath you take." she did as he told her and at first it was like nothing happened, but soon, he reached her and he was down on his own knees and hug her. He could feel he had control and before he knew it they were sitting on the floor back at the living room, he still hugging her and she was crying. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." he whispered to her ear repeatedly. "I promise it won't happen again, I will not let you feel this pain again, I promise." he said and didn't hear anything other than her breath and heart beating.

"She did it." Charles said, his son not hearing him or Jean. Mrs. and Mr. Grey look at the kids then on the Professor. "She made his mind come to peace, she might have saved his life in a long turn from himself, I promise you that I will do everything in my power to pay her back." Charles told them and they could only nod. They didn't understand that they had seen, but they understood one thing. The kids would be hard to separate from now on.


	2. Chapter 1: Strategy X

Chapter 1: Strategy X

The sound of cheering and screaming was too loud, Ethan thought. He was now in the age of seventeen and was enrolled in the town's high school, Bayville High School. Which he for that matter didn't like. The teacher shuck as much as the game did. Football was not his thing. He didn't see the point, all they did was running back and forth with a ball and made useless points.

"You look to be having fun." He looked to the side to see his very close friend coming walking over with her camera. It was Jean Grey, or 'Miss. Popular' at the school. She was wearing her normal long read hair freely down her back, a form-fitting pale purple shirt with a slight v-neck, tan khakis and brown open-toed sandals. Her normal gold bracelets on each of her wrists. Different from Ethan, who only had a normal long armed black shirt, rolled up to the elbows, dark blue jeans and black sneakers. A watch on his left wrist.

"Can you blame me?" he asked her. "You know I don't like this kind of things, so remember me again why I came with."

"To support your friends and school in the game?" she answered, a smile on her face, telling him she was happy he was here; whatever the reason was. He sighed and didn't really care about her answer. Looking around, he found Scott's friend Paul sitting by himself.

"Where is Duncan?" Ethan asked Jean and look over the field. "Should you not go and take pictures on your _boyfriend_?"

"He asked the coach for a brake, I don't know where he is." she responded. Great, Ethan thought and made his way over to their Paul sat.

"Stay here Jean, keep doing your work." he ordered her.

"Where are you going?"

"To find Scott." he answered and left her by the side field.

Ethan walked over and was on his way to ask Paul where Scott was but was stop as he could feel his presence close by, together with another mutant. He walked around the grandstand and found Scott under it, with no other than Duncan Matthews. Ethan walk over just in time as another boy jumped away, like a frog. Mutant, was what Ethan could feel from him.

"Do we have a problem here?" Ethan ask as he was close to the gang of fourth. Three players and Scott Summers.

"What do you want, Xavier?" Duncan ask. Ethan and Duncan might have Jean ask a common friend, but they so hate each other. You could put them in a classroom and they would not stop fight to make the other look bad. You could put them on a sport field and no of them would stop try to be better than the other. They did everything to get the other look bad, or at least it had been. Ethan had change and slowly stop care, but Scott had taken the rule to fight Duncan instead and now they were like black and white while Ethan was gray. Sure, they still hate each other, but they never talk anymore, or at least not if Ethan had a choice.

"Well, it looks like I have to become a babysitter after all," Ethan said and look at Scott, "come on Scott, let's go. Don't want to hurt them while they still have a game to win or lose." Scott nodded and they were both on their way to leave when Duncan jumped on Ethan and fell him. He changes so he sat above him and hit him in the face. Ethan however had train to fight on a whole different level than Duncan change and the upper hand. Ethan saw Scott fight the two others as he held Duncan down.

"Ethan, Scott!" Jean's voice call after them and they both look up. Duncan hit Ethan and he fell to the side as Scott was hit and his glasses was off and in a split second everything exploded.

Jean walk over to the boys and pick up Scott's glasses on her way. She sat beside him and gave them to him.

"Easy Scott."

"Jean?" Scott said and open his eyes. "Wow… is Ethan alright?" she nodded as she spoke to Ethan thought her mind. A thing they could do since they were kids. " _You alright?"_

"Yeah, _if you count a lot of pain alright I guess I am."_ She understood his pain, another thing that bond them. They could feel the other's feeling. The strong ones like pain, sadness, anger and fear. The reason they were so close, they knew each other like everyone knew a pen would fall to the ground if you drop it.

" _I will come and help you, just stay put."_ Jean told him and helped Scott to his feet. "I will help Ethan and Duncan, you should leave before anyone see you." Scott nodded and left. Jean sigh and walk over to their Ethan lay on the ground, Duncan not that far away.

"I'm fine-" he cut himself of by a sound of pain leaving his mouth.

" _Don't talk."_ Jean ordered him and look to see that Duncan was unconscious. She used her powers and help him to his feet and then lay his arm around her and call for help. It didn't take long before people came running and help Duncan to an ambulance and Ethan to sit down.

"I told you I'm fine!" Ethan complain on the woman who try fix his wound on his leg from having a nasty hit. The fire was put down and the ambulance had left with Duncan after a lot of fighting about Ethan coming with them. He had of course fight back and got them away, but was now stuck with the school nurse. The police had decided it must have been an accident with kids playing with fire or something that hadn't work as it should, however; they put the case down.

"Please, sit still, Mr." the school nurse told Ethan, he didn't listen.

"I don't need this!" he yelled and was going to stand up. Being weak on his leg made him almost fall, lucky Jean was ready to catch him.

" _Don't be stupid and lie, I can feel your pain."_ she told him though mind and turn to the school nurse. "I will take care of it, you can go and help the others." the school nurse nodded, happy to leave Ethan in the hands of someone else. "You really need to train on your sociality skill." Jean told Ethan as she put him down again and start to fix with his foot.

"Why would I care?" she sighed of his comment. It didn't surprise her, Ethan was not the one to be with others and he had hard to connect with people. "Can we go home now?" he asked like a five-year-old wanting a lollipop.

"Not yet, when I'm finish." he grown and lean back. " _What happen back there?"_

" _Would you believe me if I told you Duncan was an ass?"_ Ethan asked, making Jean sigh again.

" _He isn't always that bad, you should try to get to know him. He can be real nice sometimes."_

" _When it suits him."_ Jean didn't reply as she finished his foot and stood up. "Looks like I get to drive home."

" _Where is Scott?"_

" _I told him to leave before anyone came. Why?"_ Ethan shook his head and was on his feet. Jean catch him again before he fell and us little of her powers to help herself hold him. " _What is worry you so much?"_

" _I think we have another mutant at Bayville High."_ Ethan answered.

" _We will tell your father than we are home, okay?"_

" _He already knows."_ Ethan answer and nodded to a car driving away.

"Well let's get you home and in bed, then." Jean said and help him to the car.

* * *

Ethan shut his eyes open as the sun hit his eyes. He saw Jean standing at the window, just pulled the curtains away and let the sun enter his room. He grown and turn around to get away from the light. Jean however wasn't pleas by that and walk over to pull his blanket away. Ethan only sleeping in a pair of jogging pants start to freeze. He rolled to the side to get warm but didn't thought how long out in the bed he already was and fall on the floor.

"Jean!" he complained.

"It's school soon and you shouldn't miss breakfast." Jean said. She walked over to his closet and start taking out some cloth for him. "How is your foot?"

"Better if I get to sleep." he grown and lay himself in the bed again, ignoring the fact that Jean was throwing him cloth. "Ugh…"

"Come on, Ethan!" Jean use her power and made him levitate in the air.

"Oh, you don't!" Ethan complain and made the air in the room change. He landed nice on his bed and Jean couldn't move.

"Serious!" she complained as he stood up and took the cloth she had chosen for him on. When he finished, he let her move again. "Don't ever do that again!" he just smiled at her and left the room to walk down to the kitchen. Jean walk to the bathroom and he was stop outside one of the many study rooms.

"Ethan!" his father call from the room and he walk in.

"What?" he asked as he enter the room. Charles was in his wheelchair and had a book in his lab. Beside him by the fire stood a boy in a cape so Ethan couldn't see who he was. He could however feel the power from him. He was a Mutant.

"Jean told me about last night, your foot okay?"

"Yes, it's fine." Ethan answer and look at the boy who stared at him. "What?" he asked, "Do I look funny or something?" the boy didn't respond but backed. Charles look at his soon with a disliked look, or at least no happy.

"Ethan, be nice." he told him. "Jean can't have you control all the times so please try to be nice." Ethan grown. Charles knew his son had hard time with new people but this was getting ridiculous. Ethan couldn't be nice for a second without Jean to have him chain. Still, Charles was impressed of how his son hand bond with the girl. They would almost never be seen without each other and they acted like they always read each other's mind, which they were able to since they first meet. No matter the distance they seem to find each other and speak though thoughts.

"He was the one starring on me, not the other way around." Ethan told his dad and gave the boy a gaze of dislike. Charles shook his head and sigh.

"Kurt, this is my son, Ethan. I apologies for his behavior, he isn't usually around new, or people at all for that matter, without Jean. She keeps him in cheek you could say." the boy only nodded.

"Ethan!" Jean call and enter the room. She stopped as she saw that Ethan wasn't alone. Charles and the boy, Kurt, look at her in question. Scott also enter soon after.

"Scott, Jean." Charles greeted them, "I was just telling Kurt here about how I plan on making this to a school for people who don't always know how to control their gift, like some are not in control and need aid." he said and look specifically at Scott who understood his message.

"So, you heard about last night." he asked.

"Hard not to, it was all over the news."

"It was an accident, Professor." Scott told him. "I'm packed with bazookas behind these," he pointed at his glasses, "what do you want from me?"

"Control Scott." Charles almost yelled. "That's what you are here to learn." he then turned to Kurt and told him about Scott's power. "Scott eyes can concussive optic blasts." the boy took his hoodie off, apparently liking the boy Scott more than Ethan and felt ready to show himself. He was all blue and had pointed ears, except that, he looked normal.

"Cool." he said. Jean walk over to stand in front of Ethan. She understood he had said something to make the boy afraid of him and she understood the Professor had told him about Jean being the one having control over him, or as much as you could. By standing in front of Ethan and between them she signs that she wouldn't let him hurt anyone. Ethan understood her movement and roll his eyes, he however, didn't move.

"What about you, do you have any cool gift that broth you here?" she asked Kurt and he smile before disappearing and reappearing a bit from there he had stood.

"Maybe." he answer and made Jean and Scott make a sound of war. Ethan though it was kind of cool, but didn't say anything. Jean could feel his thought almost and smile. Maybe she was making progress with the heartless boy.

Nothing interesting happen the day except that Kurt had join their team, for Ethan. He had walk with Jean to classes, had his own class, lunch with Jean and when seen Scott talk to the Mutant Frog. He had taken Scott's glasses and apparently known what would happen if Scott opened his eyes. Ethan had decided to join in and made Todd give Scott his glasses back then threaten the Frog to be careful with who he is messing with. The Frog had jumped away and the day continue as normal, boring. When Ethan came back home he change and went for a long run. The sun had started to get down when he was going back and he meet another man on his way back to the mention.

"Logan." Ethan said to the man who jumped off the motor bike. "Long time no seen."

"Kido?" Logan ask and raise an eyebrow. "You have grown."

"Well, I believe that's what kids do, don't they?"

"Guess so." he responded. They just stood there and look at each other until both felt the new present. Logan having his good smell and Ethan his power to locate a Mutant. They gave each other one more look before they split up and took each side of the house. Ethan was the lucky one, as he found the intruder. He let his Fire manipulation take over and his hands was set on fire as the Frog fall back by his feet and crawl back. He could feel his father want to enter his mind but shout it out.

"You are not going to hurt me, are you?" the Frog ask. Ethan smile.

"A good thing with my powers is that my emotion isn't as similar as yours, I don't feel pity for people I don't know or care about. I would be able to kill you like you were an insect." Ethan threatened. "I warn you not to mess with the wrong people."

"Please, I do anything. Just don't hurt me!" the boy cried.

" _Ethan, stop!"_ Jean had entered his head and he hated it for the moment, she had become stronger with time and he could no longer shout her out as when they were kids. He however had start to not always listen either. He took a step forward at the Frog when he felt Jeans power affect him and throw him back to a tree. " _Don't make me hurt you, Ethan, take control!"_

" _Release me!"_ Ethan yell and try to use his powers, but he found it meaningless. Like they were lock to another part of his brain and he was on another.

"Todd, go." Jean appeared from the sky and ordered the Frog to run, he didn't hesitate. "Ethan, calm down." he didn't listen and try to fight to just move a little. Jean sigh in sadness as she let her hand touch his forehead and remove his hair from his face. "Seems like we will have to do this more often." she whisper before closing the space between them and kiss him. It wasn't a kiss-kiss, both knew it. It was a kiss to let Jean enter his mind. Even if they both in secret did enjoy it, the kiss wouldn't mean anything as Jean had Duncan. This was just to get a connection as she entered his mind and like his head was a hall filled with doors which was open, she one by one close them and put a chain to them. Each door was for his powers, feelings and memorize. Locking the doors for his powers meant she was helping him keep them down on a safe level for him to be able to control them. The door of feelings did the same thing as his feelings controlled his power she just lowered them a bit. And the memorize, to keep them there for him to remember who he was and not let him become someone she didn't knew. There was a last door too, a door she had to put down not so often. It was connected to feelings and it was to stop him from killing, to get the blood thirst. For normal humans, it was close until they killed once, when it opened and they would maybe not have problem to kill again. For Ethan, it was just like he wanted to kill, like it would feel good.

Jean broke the kiss and the connection as she had lock the doors. She still held Ethan up with her powers and her hands over his ears. His brown eyes look at her green. He felt the power in him be lower as the stranger and anger.

"Thanks," he whispered before he fell into unconsciousness. Jean held him up and had a smile on her face. They were bond on a way more than friends. More when she was with her parents or even Duncan and the Professor. The kiss might not symbolize their _love_ as a couple, but it was still a lot for Jean as Ethan meant a lot for her. His world from when they were kids always echo in her head. _I will not let you feel this pain again, I promise._ It was a promise he had made as she had made hers. She wouldn't let him lose himself for his power and she would never let him get hurt if she could do anything about it.


	3. Chapter 2: The X-Impulse

Chapter 2: The X-Impulse

Ethan walk up as he felt something move. He looked to the side and saw what it was. Jean had jumped down in his bed and try to go to sleep. She looked at him and smile as she went to sleep. He smiled back to her, remember all the time as kids when the never wanted to sleep without the other by their side. Now they mostly had their rooms at each side of the house and it wasn't often one of them made it to the other. However, when it happens it was most if the other had have a nightmare of something. Ethan went back to sleep and the next time he waked up Jean was already up and stared at him.

"Hey." he whispered tried.

"Good morning." she responded. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Better, sorry for yesterday."

"No problem." she said. "We should just be more careful with how fast the 'doors' can get open again." he nodded and closed his eyes. "Hey, it won't be for every, wait until we are older, you will have control then."

"We must hope." he responded not opening his eyes. She moved closer and held his hand under the blanket.

"I promise whatever happens, I will be there for you." she told him. "Like when I first close your doors." he opened his eyes and saw into hers as the memory came back to him.

 _He had been training with his fire control and try to mix it with water manipulation. His father hadn't been home and he was all alone except for Jean who he knew was sleeping upstairs in the study room his father had let them have. Scott was with Storm and Logan was not back. He had lost control and somehow Jean had felt it and awaken. She had run down and found him at the floor screaming as the fire was all around him and the water he used to train with was flying all around. She had walk over to him and try to make him concentrate on his name, who he was and who she was like Charles had told her to do when they had done this before. The different was what they hadn't been alone and now it was like a much stronger wall between them. Jean who cried and got panic kiss him and she had found that way into his mind, stuck in a hallway with doors, lucky she had read about the mind being all closed doors in a book and understood the doors wasn't supposed to be open, not all of them in the same time. So, she had started closing them one by one and later it became lockers to keep them close long. Their first kiss had been the same day_ she _had given_ him _a promise._

The alarm was of and Ethan and Jean move to listen as Charles spoke thought the sound mic.

"Jean, Ethan the Blackbird in one hour, dress normal but take your suit with." he said and the alarm silent. Ethan and Jean both look at each other as they wonder what it could be. They didn't move for a moment but in the end, Jean walk back to her room and Ethan walk up to dress. He took the normal dark blue jeans but a black t-shirt and black jeans jacket over. The sun was shining so he picked a pair sunglasses with him and when he was finish he walk down to the lower floor under the mansion. He walked to where his suit was hanging. It was just a pair of black jeans and a t-shirt. It had fingerless gloves and boots in the same color. A jacket in leather in case it became cold. All black except the yellow gray X's over the belt around the jeans and over the jacket when you snapped it. Ethan had also a pair of sunglasses with black glass so no one would see his eyes and risk exposing his identity more as he had his hair back came when he was suited up.

"Ready?" Charles ask as both Jean and Ethan had placed their suit in the hanger and taken their seat in the Blackbird. Jean sat in the front beside the Professor and Ethan with his sunglasses on sat behind her.

"Where are we going?" Ethan ask. Charles heard his attitude all different and figure Jean had lock some doors. He could also count that it was fewer days since last time it took for the doors to open. He, however, didn't comment it and start the Blackbird.

"We are going to Deerfield." he answer. "Cerebro found two new mutants using their powers."

"You mean two in the same spot at the same time?" Ethan ask.

"No, one had been active some longer than this new one." Charles answer. "We have Kitty Pryde and Lance Alvers." the jet started and lifted. Ethan look out through the window and Jean broke the silent after a while.

"Why is it just me and Ethan?" she ask Charles. "Why not all of us?"

"Because you are the one who can connect with this girl, Jean." Charles answer. "I don't want to leave Ethan behind and he might be able to help you."

"I hope so, but what will we do with the other kid?"

"Lance, let me deal with him. You two just concentrate on Kitty and her parents."

" _Remember, you're a model of what_ we' _re offering them. No pressure."_ Ethan thought to her and had a smile on his face. She sighed.

" _Shut up, you are going to help me."_ Jean told him and he went silent, but he still had a smile on his face.

Ethan and Jean stood behind his father as the door open and a man and a woman appeared at the door. Ethan could feel their fear as their eyes told him everything.

"Mr. and Mrs. Pryde?" Charles ask the people at the door and they nodded. "I'm here because I would like to talk about your daughter, Kitty Pryde."

"What are you talking about?" the woman ask. "How do you know Kitty?" the woman was quite much nervous.

"Might we come in for a moment?" Jean ask friendly. "We will answer all your questions."

"Excuse me Miss, but you can talk to us out here." the man said and took a step forward to stand in front of his wife. Ethan took the step as a threat ready to attack and took a step to stand in front of Jean, bus she stop him and took his hand to hold him back.

" _He is just over protecting of his family."_

" _Yeah, and I am over mine."_ that shocked Jean. Ethan had never described her as family of the others in their team. It made her smile and squeal his hand.

"Very well, I think you two know your daughter, Kitty, is going through an unusual… transformation." Charles told the parents. "We simple want to help her through it, why don't you tell us about last night?" that made the parents tenser and they look at each other before the man turn to them again. Ethan ready if he was to attack or do anything.

"Last night is none of your business!" he yelled and pointed at Charles. Ethan took the movement and get a grip of the man's arm. The man look angry at him and pull back. "Please, just leave us alone or I will call the cops." the man backed and pull his wife with him before shouting the door in front of Ethan.

"Great," he muttered and turn to his father. "We could just have called instead and get hanged up on instead." Charles sigh and shook his head. He looked at Jean who look at his son. It would be harder than he thought and maybe Ethan wasn't the best to take with him, but it was too late to change that. He son had to learn how to act friendlier. "Can we go home now?"

"No, we are not done here." his father told him. "Jean, take Ethan with you. You will have to make direct contact with Kitty at her school."

"Dad, why am I here?"

"First off, you need to become friendlier and use to have new people around you. Second, if anything would happen your ability with Illusion could get use and third, I don't want you out of my sight without Jean if something would happen to you."

"Guess she has become my babysitter now then."

"Have I not been that since we were kids?" Jean asked him. "I made you a promise and I will keep it as much as I know you will keep yours. Come on now, it isn't far to the school." Jean took his arm and start to drag him with her. "We will call when we find her, Professor."

"Do so, I will take care of some other stuff." he told them and Ethan was stuck with Jean alone.

* * *

"So, what are you going to tell her?" Ethan ask as they walk over the parking line and to the back side of the school there they had seen people having sports. "She might not listen to her as her parents did."

"I don't know, I have never try to recruit someone before." Jean responded. "What do you do?" Ethan look at her like if to see if she was series. She was.

"You don't want to ask me for help." he told her.

"Yes, I do, now tell me how you got Scott to the team." Ethan shook his head but answer her.

"I made him see what I wanted him to." he answer. "Or what my father wanted him to see. I show him our home, a world filled with peace their humans could live together with mutants and a further there he had control." Jean look at him, fascinated.

"Why didn't you do that on me when we meet?"

"Would you tag along because I show you a further which you would understand was my mind powers to manipulate illusions?"

"Guess not, but won't it work with Kitty?"

"Look, I am not the hole talk-with-people-kind, but I do know different people need different things to motivate them to do what they need to. Scott needed hope. You needed the _true_ feeling of safety and trust, not illusions about possibilities. I might not have planned to even help you as a kid, but whatever happens you have me by your side." Jean smile and nodded to him.

"Do you know why Kurt join and how we will get Kitty to join us?"

"I have a guess Kurt joined us because my father showed him that he would not stand out with us. And Kitty, I haven't meet her but what I have seen from her parents… she is afraid, Jean and fear can make people do things they don't want to so when you talk to her be careful. I would believe she need someone to look up to, someone she knows believe in her." Ethan stop in his tracks and look around. Jean notice his change in face as she stopped as well.

" _What's wrong?"_ she asked him thought mind.

" _Someone is using their powers."_

" _Kitty?"_

" _No, don't you feel it? The ground was shaking."_ Jean and Ethan look at each other as they start to walk again. They reach the back of the school to see a girl running and jumping, but when it looks like she was going to come far it was like the ground shake again and sand shot her back and she feel underneath the sand.

" _What was that?"_ Jean ask and another girl came running, she didn't look where she run and bump into Jean before taking off again. Jean look at the girl running as Ethan look up to the school ruff. " _Who was she?"_

" _I would believe that was Kitty, a Mutant."_

" _I'm going after her."_

" _I will check another thing, you will be fine, right?"_ Jean nodded at him and they split up. Ethan found Lance sneaking around down from the ruff and Ethan stop him as he was on his way to go in to where the girl and Jean had.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked. "You shouldn't stand in my way."

"Like I see it, you are in my and my friend's way."

"You mean the red hair?" he asked and had a smirk on his face. "You look like you know what I can do, so back of or I might hurt you!"

"You could try." Lance first thought to use his powers but instead he made an attack on Ethan who dug and roll to the side. "I thought you wanted to show off."

"You don't know me, and it would only be a waste of time to use my powers on you."

At the same time, Jean was talking to Kitty. She had just show her appearance and walk up to the stage.

"You don't know anything, and neither does that creepy guy out there!"

"Who? You mean Lance?" Jean lean against the table at the stage. "Forget about him, this is about you. You and your amazing new gift." Kitty took away the mask she was holding from her face and meet look down at it. She then looked up and faced the girl in front of her, who she would though could be a snob or something.

"I don't have a gift," she screamed, but the greatest come out as a whisper, "just a curse."

"Only if you let it be." Jean said soft. "I would like to help you understand it and together we-" Kitty cut her off.

"Look! I don't want any of this. It like already hard enough to be normal, you know!"

"Kitty," Jean said and sigh, "I want you just to watch me for a second, please?" Kitty didn't respond or look at her, but when she later looked up like to tell Jean she would let her show her Jean stood straight and use her mind and hand to move the mask from Kitty's hand and hang it back on the wall. Kitty become all shock and look at Jean in shock and fear.

"How did you-"

"The same way you can pass through walls." Jean answer and lay a hand on kitty to show her she was a friend. "Just like you, I woke up on day and had this power. And trust me, I hated it too until my friend came with his father and showed me others could have it worse than me and that I had nothing to fear as my friend since then has stand by my side."

"I-" Kitty said, not knowing what to say, "I don't believe you!" she pulled Jean away from her. "This is a trick."

"No," Jean said and continued almost in a whisper, a bit afraid about that would happen if she told her, "You do believe me, I know because that's my other ability," she paused and look at Kitty. "I can read your thoughts." Kitty gasped and backed.

"No, stay out of my head!" She turned and run away though the back door. Jean took a step to follow but was stop as someone pull her arm.

"Lance!" Ethan came in after him as he let go of Jean but didn't care.

"A piece of advice red, I'm the only friend she will need so you and your boyfriend can stay away." she pull Jean to the side and Ethan stood in his way. "Are you going to want to fight me again? This time with powers?"

"If you think you can handle me with powers as you thought you could fight me I can let you try again, but this time I will not let you go after when you beg me to stop-" Ethan threatened, not liking how Lance had treated Jean and call her red.

"Ethan," Jean told him off. "Let him go."

"You two are just loses, I will be the one teaching that girl so you two stay away and mind your own business." Ethan look at him disliking but let him past. He then looked at Jean who walk over to him.

"Think that was smart enough?"

"Kitty seems to be a nice girl, Ethan. She will know what's right and what's wrong." Jean told him. "We should call your father." Ethan nodded and they walk out to a bench, there Jean took up her phone and call Charles. She told him about how Lance was reaching Kitty and that they hadn't much of a progress.

"Jean." Ethan said and pointed to a wall further away. She looked at the direction just as she saw Kitty walk thought and Lance running away to the entrance. "She is breaking into the office."

"Professor, Kitty is breaking into the office with Lance."

" _You two suite up and meet me and her parents outside."_ Jean hang up and they made their way to the Blackbird to change.

Ethan and Jean meet up with Charles outside the school minutes later and the Pryde came running asking what was happening and where Kitty was.

"Kitty broke into the office."

"What? She has never done something like this before."

"She must be affected or trick by Lance." Charles said and turn to Jean and Ethan. "You two go with them, I will catch up." Ethan and Jean nodded as they run after the Prydes to the school. Just as they enter the school office Lance had a hand around Kitty's wrist and hold her tight.

"Let go of my daughter!" Mr. Pryde yelled and run over to him, but Lance made a book shelter fall over him.

"No, stop!" Kitty scream and try to get away from Lance hold.

"They are just going to confuse you, Kitty." Lance told her and start to walk, dragging her with him.

"Lance! Let her go!" Ethan yelled as Jean help her father get the book shelter away.

"We are out of her."

"Kitty, please!" her mother call.

"No, let go of me!" Lance didn't listen and made a hole through the wall.

"Kitty, I'm sorry!" her father told her as his wife helped him up. "I push you to this and I didn't mean it to happen. I'm still learning, I'm as scared as you are." Kitty seem to hesitate.

"Daddy?"

"Forget about them!" Lance said. "I'm bringing this place down." the building start to shake and Ethan use his powers to hold it up as Jean use hers to make a shield around them.

"You call your gift a curse," Jean said.

"If you go with him I guarantee it will be." Ethan finish, knowing how Lance would be.

"Please, honey, listen to them." he mother cry. Her father yell he loved her and that made kitty yell and use her powers to get loose from Lance hold. She run to them and Lance become angry.

"Jean cover them!" Ethan scream and run over to meet Kitty half way as rocks fall when he let go of the building. Lance run away as the hole school fall.

"Kitty!" he parents call as Jean call after Ethan. Underneath the rooks, Ethan was above the girl and held the rocks away with his body as a shield over her. He hadn't got the chance to use his powers and did what came to his mind. Take the hit.

"Oh god!" the girl panicked.

"Kitty, listen to me." Ethan said thought the pain. "I'm fine, okay, I'm fine." he told her to calm her down. "You will have to use your powers to get out from here."

"What about you?" she asked him.

"I will be fine if you get out of here, go to your parents and Jean and take them with you."

"You her friend she was talking about, aren't you?" she asked him. "The one helping her understand her powers."

"Kitty, listen. I'm not that good with talking to people and for most of the time I don't care about anyone, but that's my powers. I can't feel something just like that because most of my feelings control my powers. I am strong and have gift people might dream of, but different from you and Jean, I do not have control so I can't use it as I wish with full power." he took a breath. "You will have to get out, take your parents who loves you and Jean with you. I will be fine, but I do _not_ want to hurt any of you in the progress, understood?" she nodded.

"Why can't I take you with me out?"

"My powers makes me unaffected by other powers." he told her. "I won't go through rock even if you try to make me intangibility, I can't teleport if you had that power and wanted me to go with. My body is like a shield, stopping me from do more than I already can."

"Okay, I will hurry up." she told him and try to concentrate to go crawl out, but couldn't. "I can't!" she yelled.

"Yes, you can." Ethan told her. "You father and mother believe in you. Jean believe in you, I have hope you can do the impossible." Kitty listen to his words before she closed her eyes and made her way through the rocks. She reached her parents and Jean under a shield.

"Ethan?"

"He says he's fine but need us to get out before he does anything." Kitty told her, understanding the look in her eyes meant she really care for him. "Hold onto me, I will take us out."

Charles waited outside the collapsed building and suddenly Kitty came out with her parents and Jean behind her. Right thought a wall. Charles notice directly someone was missing and drove over to them.

"Jean, where is Ethan?"

"He is fine, Professor." Jean told him. "I have contact with him."

"You what?" Kitty ask.

"Jean and my son, Ethan, is quite good friends." Charles told her as Jean walk back to the building and help Ethan rube some blocks, they were contacting thought mind so she wouldn't remove the wrong rock and make everything collapse more. "Since they were kid they have an amazing bod you could say." Kitty looked to there Jean was, working with a rock and suddenly more moved.

"What's his powers?"

"He is a manipulator you could say." Charles answer as he watched Jean and Ethan remove rocks. Ethan using Jean's eyes to see with rock to move. "He can manipulate your mind to see what he wants, feel and believe it's true. He can go so deep so he can read your mind, but it takes a lot of effort and he can detect others with gift."

"How is he helping Jean move rocks?"

"He controls some elements too. Can set his hands at fire in fight, make the temperature rise, shoot ice from his hands, make a shield of earth and sometimes fly."

"Wow." Kitty said and her parents look more scared.

"It might sound cool but it's not." Charles told her. "He's mind is a big labyrinth making it hard for him to control himself and sometimes it can make him lose himself."

"Should he not get help with that?"

"He already does." Charles said and he saw Jean move over and help Ethan to stand. They walk over to them and Kitty out of happiness hug him.

"Thanks god you are okay!"

"Yeah, just don't cross me." Jean smile and knew Kitty might be able to help her with Ethan and watch over him. She was also happy that this might mean they had finally get one more girl to the institute.


	4. Chapter 3: Rogue Recruit

Chapter 3: Rogue Recruit

Ethan enter the kitchen and made a cup of coffee as Ororo came in too. The others were still in school and Ethan had skip it as he still told his father he didn't really feel too go back after the collapse of Kitty's older school. She had join them at their mansion and was having her first day in school.

"Aren't the others home yet?" Ororo ask Ethan as he put the empty cup in the wash.

"No, there are going to be home soon I guess. Scott is driving Kurt and Kitty, how that now is working as they don't seem to get along."

"And jean?"

"I think Duncan is going to drive her." Ororo just nodded a show that she had heard him. Ethan lean against the table and look at the woman he had kind of grown up with. "How is your nephew?"

"Evan?" Ororo ask and Ethan nodded. "He seems okay, he still says he has control and I guess I can't make him come here against his will. He has a game soon, however, you should come with and watch, I know he like to play with you."

"So, he still play basket?"

"And with that board."

"It's kind of amazing how he handles it." Ethan said and laugh.

"It kind of is," Ororo agreed. "Do you know where Logan is?"

"I would guess in his bed room and sleeping. Why?"

"I need to tell him to get ready, we are testing the system tonight. You don't want to join him do you?" Ororo ask him and Ethan shook his head.

"I have had too much of this house security, I will be somewhere safe."

"Well, Charles want the whole team with to see, you know to connect. Kurt and Kitty still is new to this."

"I guess so." Ethan said and his phone went off. He picked it up and look apologetic at Ororo. "Sorry, it's Jean, best to pick up."

"Why don't you contact each other thought mind all the time, isn't it easier?"

"Well it is, but we don't only get the other's thought. We get feelings too and it can be sometimes annoying so when we can we like to have a normal phone call you know." she nodded.

"You two seem to become closer and closer every day."

"Well, what had people expected?" Ethan ask and smile as he left the kitchen to answer the phone.

" _Hey, Ethan."_ Jean answer in the phone. " _Would you be able to pick me up? Duncan got some stuff to do and Scott has already taken off."_

"Yeah, sure. I will be there in five." Ethan told her and hung up.

* * *

"What was Duncan going to?" Ethan ask as he meet Jean by the school. She closed the car door and fixed seat belt.

"His mother call him home to help her with something." Jean answer and Ethan start driving.

"Nice, be happy I could pick you up."

"Well, in the worst case you would have to stop whatever you there doing and pick me up anyway." Jean joked and Ethan shook his head, he had however a smile on his lips as the car was filled with her laugh. It didn't take long before they were back at the mansion and enter the kitchen there everyone was going around and Ororo and Scott made dinner.

"Great you two came, Ethan can you help Scott with dinner? I have to go and help your father."

"Sure, Jean?" Ethan turn to Jean but found her gone from his side. He looked around and saw her in the living room, talking with Kitty.

"Come on Ethan." Scott call out for him. "We don't have all day."

"Shut up Summers." Ethan said and walk over to help him with the dinner.

"So, you and Jean?" he ask. Ethan roll his eyes, they had already talk about this a lot.

"Still just friends, and that's what we always will be."

"Yeah, of course but you can always be closer than friends." Ethan sigh.

"Last time I tell you Summers. I and Jean are just friends, if you have a like for her it's Duncan you should be worried about. _We_ are just friends." Ethan said and they continue the cooking in silent.

Jean and Kitty however was talking a lot. They talk about the powers and abilities people could have and the mansion and the new school, Jean's normal school. They laugh a lot until Kitty stop and ask a question, all serious again.

"So, you and Ethan are a thing, or what?" Jean laugh and shook her head.

"No, we are just friends. I actually am going out with someone from the school."

"Really?" Kitty ask all chook by the news.

"Yeah, at least I think it's not that much. I mean we kiss but it's only because we have this bond."

"Wait, you said you two kiss and you have another boyfriend?"

"Don't sound good, does it?"

"Not at all, explain!" Kitty demanded.

"Well, I and Ethan has this connection making me the only one able to, like stop his powers from over taking him and all, but I can't come deep into his mind only with a touch. So, with a kiss I am able to connect and find into his deepest mind."

"Wow, sounds scary." Kitty comment. "Is he a good kisser?"

"Who is a good kisser?" Kurt appeared from nowhere and was now hanging down from the lamp with his tail and had popcorn in his hands.

"Kurt," the girls jumped again as Ethan and Scott enter the room. "don't eat popcorn before dinner." Ethan acted with his powers and Kurt look death scared before he fell to the ground and the popcorn was levitating in the air, burning. Jean had been ready for Ethan's move and made it levitate in case anything would happen.

"Dragon…" muttered Kurt.

"What happen?" Kitty ask as she look down on Kurt then on Jean and Ethan.

"One of Ethan's ability is to make people see what he wants and I guess Kurt took a travel to a land with dragons." Scott answer. "Was it really needed?"

"Yes." "No." Ethan and Jean said in the same time. Jean took the bowl with burn popcorn and fire and put it down on the table. "Could you make it stop burn?" the fire disappeared and Ethan took a seat beside Jean.

"Man, are you okay?" Scott ask and walk over to help Kurt up.

"Yeah, I'm fine mein friend." Kurt said. "Just getting to know Ethan a bit, you know." Scott laugh at his friend but was cut off as Charles enter the room.

"Cerebro has found a new Mutant, Scott prepare the Blackbird, and as it is a weekend the whole team will go." he ordered and it was all he had to say as everyone was on their feet and start go to change.

The flight was no fun for Ethan. He sat behind his father and beside Jean. Hearing her and Kitty talk as Scott was learning Kurt to start the Blackbird. Kitty had pointed out Scott was cute and Ethan smile as Jean had try to say he might be from a special ankle. Kurt had then teleported to stand outside and when he fell teleported in and land on Kitty, scaring her. Charles told him to stop and he said sorry and they sat down again.

" _I feel sorry for him."_ Jean thought to Ethan as the others sat in silent. " _He is only trying to impress her and make her like him."_

" _He doesn't do a good work then, does he?"_

" _Stop be so cold hearted and try to help him instead."_

" _Why? Scott can do it, Kitty said he was cut so why not make him help Kurt."_

" _Someone sounds jealous."_ Jean stated and gave him a smile.

" _I'm not."_

"Sorry but that are you two doing?" Kitty ask and look between them. They both look at her as did Charles and Logan. "They were giving each other gaze and smiles."

"Oh," Charles said. "You see, it's normal for them to talk thought minds. Don't worry about it."

"Yeah, sorry Kitty." Jean said and smile to her new friend. "Old habit."

"Old?" Ethan ask.

" _Bad_ habit." Jean corrected herself.

"You two, go back to talk though thoughts." Logan told them and muttered, "I don't want to hear them flirt."

"We are not flirting." Jean and Ethan said in unis.

"Yeah yeah, go back to be silent now will you." Ethan snorted and look back out through the window. Jean sigh and shook her head as she looked out though hers. Kurt and Kitty both was confused and Scott a bit jealous but he kept having his focus on the flaying. Ororo and Charles had just ignored it as they had got use to Jean and Ethan starting to mind speak out of nowhere.

"This is just a waste of time." Ethan complain as he was in his x-men suit with Jean, Storm and Cyclops. He walked behind them and felt the new Mutant be close. They had found out she could take memories and apparently powers as well and she was death scared of Wolverine. They didn't know why but it led to make Wolverine help Kitty with Kurt and the rest to find the girl.

"I don't understand you, Ethan." Cyclops said. "One minute you seem all nice the other you are so cold.

"What is there to understand, Cyke?" Ethan ask him. "I don't play nice to people I don't like."

"Geez, thanks."

"No problem."

"Boys." Jean cut them off and pointed forward to a girl who stood by the empty cemetery.

"Go and talk to her." Storm told her. "We will be waiting to see what happens." Jean nodded and walk beforehand. Ethan look around and felt the presence of another Mutant. "What's wrong, Ethan?" Storm ask as she notice his confuse look. He knew the present felt familiar but it could be the fact that the girl had Kurt's powers and might mess his mind up. But something wasn't right.

"Nothing, we should go and talk to the girl, looks like she is calm with Jean." Ethan said and lead Scott and Storm to the girl. The second the girl saw the group, or Storm more precisely she screamed and ran for it.

"Hey, wait!" Scott called and ran after, but tripped.

"I don't get it, we were connecting." Jean said as she helped Cyclops to his feet.

"Until she saw me, like she was all afraid of me."

"Like with Wolverine." Ethan said. "You have never seen her before, have you?" Storm shook her head.

"Ethan?" Jean ask, feeling he knew something he didn't tell her or the others.

"I think it's best if you try to find her, Jean. Take Cyclops with you."

"What about you?" Jean ask him.

"I will find my dad, need to ask him something. Storm, you can go with them. Just be careful, try to show her we are not her enemies." Ethan order them and left them to go after her and himself searching for his father. He found him with Wolverine, Shadowcat and Nightcrawler. Nightcrawler being knock out in Wolverine's arms.

"Ethan, what's wrong?"

"I think I know why the Rouge is afraid of us." Ethan told his father. "She is here, dad."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Who is here?" Kitty ask.

"A shifter, a Mutant who can disguise herself to look like anyone." Charles answer.

"Dad, I think-" Ethan was cut off as a storm start to appear and Jean contacted him thought mind.

" _She has Storm's powers!"_ Ethan understood it was a call for help and repeated what she had told him out loud to the others.

"Ethan, run and help them. Kitty you stay with us, I don't want to risk you getting hurt. Storm's power is quite powerful if she doesn't have control. And Ethan, don't let her get yours." Ethan nodded to his father and start to lift from the mark and flew to Jean and the others, to the storm.

"Since when can he fly?" Kitty ask.

"His power to manipulate air is quite useful sometimes."

"You don't sound very happy, Chuck." Logan comment.

"I'm not, every time he uses his powers he risks opening the doors faster."

"So, he can be dangerous if he uses all his powers at one time?" Kitty ask, knowing what he meant with doors. She had got the explanation to know that if something happens and he use his powers she would always inform Logan, Ororo, the Professor or Jean.

"I am afraid that's the case."

As Ethan was close to the girl he felt the air change as she used Storm's power to make it rain and storm. Jean was in the air too, having Scott and Storm above the ground as well.

" _Some idea?"_ she asked him and he shook his head and flew over to her.

" _We need to keep Cyke and Storm in the air. I will take Storm so keep holding Cyclops in the air."_

" _Sure thing, but you will have to be careful, okay?"_

" _Am I not always careful?"_ Ethan ask and flew over to Scott and Storm. "Cyke, I take Storm, we will have to wait until the Rouge stop herself, we can't do anything without risking hurting her." Cyclops nodded and handed Storm over to Ethan.

"How long can this takes?" he asked.

"I don't know, it should not take long as her body can't hold the power forever." just as he finished the line the girl disappeared with Nightcrawler's power and the storm disappeared. Jean and Cyclops landed on the ground again and Ethan with Storm.

"Are you okay?" Charles asked as he and the others came to them.

"Yes, lucky Ethan came and help me, I don't know how long I would be able to hold them both up."

"That's good, you two just make sure the doors are not opening when we come home." they both nodded and the team members that was unconscious woke up.

"Are we not going to follow her?" Kitty ask.

"No, we will have to let her go and treat our own." Charles said and they headed back to the Blackbird.

* * *

Ethan wasn't happy. He walked to the office of the Principal the next day but she was of course not there. He however bumped into the Rouge girl.

"Leave me alone!"

"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you." Ethan said and keep his hand in the air as a shield in front of him. "I'm just here to talk to the principal, but I guess she is not here."

"She just left." Rouge told him.

"Okay, listen. I know you might not trust me and my… friends but we are not going to hurt you."

"Why did you hesitate?"

"Well, I'm not really that close to them, you could say." Ethan said honestly.

"Why would I trust you?"

"I don't know, but you don't need to fight me either do you?" the girl didn't say anything. "Let's be neutral, okay? You don't need to trust me or the others and I don't need to trust you but we don't fight if the other don't go to attack, okay?"

"Yeah, whatever, just stay away from me." the girl left and Ethan stood there for a moment before he walked to meet up Jean and her friend Taryn. The girls were standing by the lockers and not far away stood Scott and Kurt. Kitty was talking to some of her new classmates.

"Hey, you." Jean greeted him.

"Hey, Jean. Taryn."

"Ethan." the girl greeted him with a smile. Ethan look at Jean with a worried look.

" _What's wrong?"_

" _The girl is here."_

"Taryn, could you give us a second." Jean ask her friend who nodded and left them alone, not looking away from them before she walk around the corner. "What do you mean she is here?" she whispered to Ethan.

"I meet her by the principal's office, she is going to school here."

"You're kidding, we must tell your father, maybe we can talk to her or-"

"Jean," Ethan cut her off and stop her from leaving. "Let her be, she will come to us. Okay?"

"How can you be so sure?"

"How do you think it will look if we hunt her here as well?"

"We didn't hunt her back there. Mystique did."

"I know that, but do you think we will be able to convince her that?" Jean look around to see the girl walk in the hall to a locker and take a book before she left again, not seeing them or ignoring them.

"I hope you are right about this," Jean said as she turned back to Ethan. "She can be dangerous if she loses control again."

"I know, but we will have to show her we don't want her any harm. So, take you books," Ethan took Jean's books from her locker and gave her them, "and go to class, I will meet you by the car."

"Fine, don't make any trouble."

"Me trouble, you know me better than that Jean."

"Exactly." she said and turn to go to her next class. Ethan shook his head and turn to go to his own class.


	5. Chapter 4: Mutant Crush

Chapter 4: Mutant Crush

Jean walk back and forth in the room as Ethan try to watch the TV in his room. She had just come back with Logan from some car show and was talking about it like crazy. Ethan however didn't really listen as the TV had him more interested.

"Ethan!" Jean call and try to get his attention. It didn't work so she used her powers and took the TV control from his hand and shout the TV off.

"Why did you do that?" Ethan complain.

"Have you been listen to anything I said right now?" Jean ask him and he struggle. "For God sake, forget it." She thought the control on him but he dug so it hit his bed. She walked and left through the door to the hall and Ethan was fast to run after her.

"Jean, I'm sorry!" he called. They run past Kurt who looked out through his door to see what was happening and Scott who stop Ethan to run after her. "Scott move out of my way." Jean didn't stop and disappear around the corner.

"What did you do to her?" he asked, not moving a centimeter.

"I was just watching the TV and she was talking."

"That's not polite, did you listen to her?"

"Scott, I don't need your jealous right now, so move out of my way before I make you!"

"Sorry, but I don't plan on moving-" he was cut off as Ethan use his power to make Scott see a wall pressing him to the side. In real he just moved and struggle as he press himself to the left, letting Ethan past. He run down the hall and enter the hall for the girl rooms. He stopped in front of the closed door to Jean's room.

"Jean, come on!" he called. "I'm sorry, I promise to listen from now on!" the door opened and he enter the room.

"I should tell your father the TV isn't good in your room." Jean muttered as she placed down some cloth in her dressers.

"Okay, I have said I'm sorry, now tell me what you were so upset about." Ethan sat down on Jean's bed and look at her. She sighed and told him about the show and the teenager who had stop two cars from driving. "And my father thinks he is a Mutant?"

"Yes, however Logan told me that we should go when we didn't find him afterwards." Jean said and sat down beside him, one of her legs on the bed and the other down to the floor so she sat to face Ethan. He turned his head only to look at her.

"And why are you so upset about that?" he asked. "You didn't found him, you can't do anything about that."

"It's just people laugh and he was so… angry. I feel sorry for him, you know." Ethan laugh and stood up.

"I know who you are, Jean and I know you feel sorry for him. Like Cyke is a control freak you have a heart too good to be true." he kiss her forehead. "Try to sleep, you couldn't do anything and if he is a Mutant you will lightly meet him again."

"Thanks. For you listen, even if I had to take that TV from you."

"Yeah, no problem." he told her and was on his way to go back to his room. "Who does it go with you and Kait?"

"Not that good. She is still a bit on her guard, but I have make her accept to have lunch together tomorrow. I don't think she is ready to see you or the others yet, but I'm working with her." Jean look a bit suspicious on him as if he had told her a secret she didn't believe in or that she thought it was something he didn't told her but she could guess.

"You and Kait going to eat lunch together?" she asked to get it clarified. "Like only the two of you?" Ethan got a smile on his face as he heard her voice.

"Not jealous, are you?" he joked. "Don't worry, I promise to eat with you sometimes, like we don't already do it every day normally."

"I'm not jealous, why would I?"

"I don't know."

"You know what, I just become so tired, I think you should go to bed too." Jean told him and Ethan gave her a last smile before he left her room and walk to his own, bumping into Ororo on the way.

"Everything okay?" she asked. "Sounded like you two was fighting for the first time on ages."

"No, everything is fine. We just talk a bit."

"Okay then, I was going to ask if you wanted to come on Evan's game."

"Sorry, but I think I will have to pass, don't want to be an intruder, plus I think I might surprise Jean with dinner out."

"Like a date?"

"More like; I'm sorry I didn't listen to you when you were talking." Ororo nodded in understanding and laugh a bit.

"You two are so… difficult to figure out. One day you fight, another you flirt or are like siblings." Ethan was on his way to cut her off and say they didn't flirt but she just continued to talk. "Anyway, you will at least have to meet Evan, he like Kitty and Kurt look up to you, you know. Your social skill has getting a lot better."

"Yeah, sure…" Ethan said not sure what else to do. "I will go to bed, but I see you tomorrow."

"Alright then, goodnight."

"Goodnight." with that he walked back to his room and almost fall in sleep the second his head hit the pillow.

Ethan was on his way to class when he got the sight of Duncan and a big blond guy. He held him with one hand and as Duncan said something he thrown him down on the floor.

"Hey!" Ethan yelled and walk forward. "What are you doing?"

"He just attacked me!"

"Shut up, Duncan." Ethan told him. "Don't you have class to go to?" Duncan just look angry at him, but left as he was afraid to the big guy. "What the hell are you doing here?" Ethan ask the big guy as he felt he was a Mutant. "I don't know what your problem is, but you can't go around and scare people off like that!" Ethan laughed. "Even if it was quite fun." he added smirking. It had not been a smart move as the guy become angry.

"Don't laugh at me." he yell and rip one of the lockers from the wall. He turned to throw it at Ethan but stop as a new voice echoed in the hall.

"Eh excuse me, you must be new here." they both look around to see Jean standing there. "I'm Jean Grey." the guy become all nervous and Ethan could feel he just wanted to hit the guy. " _Ethan, go to class, I will be fine."_ Ethan look past the guy to Jean.

"Yeah, I am. New I mean." the guy said and put the lockers down. Ethan seeing how series Jean look at him got away from there and walk to wait around the corner. He could hear Jean be nice and welcome him to the school and ask for his name. When he had present himself as Fred Dukes she helped him to find his classroom and when she came around the corner.

"He seems nice." Ethan made her jump and when walk by her side to the class.

"Yeah, it's Fred, he I and Logan was and saw."

"Hate to say my father is right, he is a Mutant." Ethan told her and look over his shoulder to be sure no one was there.

"Figures, he is quite strong."

"Don't be too nice to him, Jean." Ethan said and made her stop. "I don't trust the guy and he seem to be easy to make angry." she just look at him. "He can be dangerous if you are alone with him and I don't trust that guy. I might not like Duncan but he just grabbed him, with other words am I glad it was Duncan and not someone from the institute."

"I can't believe you!" Jean said angry. "You don't trust me with him and think I can't take care of myself?"

"I didn't say that."

"Wasn't needed to." Jean told him, still angry. "He is alone and need friends, and you have no right to judge me right now."

"What are you meaning with that?"

"You and your lunch date?"

"You mean Kait?" Ethan ask all confuse. "I just try to make her not be afraid of us so my father can make her join us. I can handle her."

"And now you are doing it again." Jean comment. "With other words, you don't believe I can handle Fred. You know what, I don't know what your problem is this past days. You are all isolated from me. You don't talk to me and I know you have something in your mind you are not telling me. If any of us shouldn't trust the other, it's me who shouldn't trust you."

"Jean-"

"Do not Jean me, Ethan." she cut him off. "I'm tired right now. You are keeping secrets from me than I am nothing but honest. I can help you, Ethan!"

"No!" he yelled and made her speechless. "You can't help me with this. There are things you are not ready to know about me yet."

"What are you-"

"Forget it Jean, I have class to attend to. I will see if I'm on the mode to drive you home later." Ethan turn around and left her, still speechless. She can't remember the last time he had yelled at her like that. It was not often he did that or keep secrets from her. Their bond became stronger, they both knew that, but Jean start to wonder if it was good or bad. They both learn how to keep the other out for a while and they both could tell than the other is in danger. They didn't need to talk about it to confirm their bond become stronger. But maybe, just maybe Jean thought, their bond would destroy everything else as it seems to go downhill instead of up.

* * *

"I promise, don't eat the sandwich from the cafeteria." Ethan told her. "It's like the school want us to be sick so they can have less job to do." Rogue, or Kait as Ethan and the others knew her as, smile a bit. She felt more comfortable with Ethan now than in the beginning. He was funny and kind, but he could be hard and kind of evil too. Maybe not evil, more heartless sometimes. However, she couldn't judge him for it because it showed her how human he could be. "Hey, why don't you take a seat, I will get the best from the cafeteria." she eyes him and he smile. "Don't trust me to make a good choice of food for you?"

"No, but how do I know you don't try to poison me?" Rogue ask him.

"I don't know Kait, I guess you don't so you will just have to trust me." he told her and walk to the cafeteria to get food as she walked to take a table. Ethan couldn't have come in a better moment as the guy Fred was in front of him, his plate all filled with food.

"Hey, you took everything!" Ethan yelled as he saw the cafeteria being all empty.

"Yeah, do you have a problem with that?" Ethan wanted to say yes and start a fight, but he just shook his head and look at the woman behind the disk. Fred left and he ask for anything she had left. All she had left was a hamburger which Ethan then took.

"A hamburger?" Rogue ask him as he sat down beside her with the only hamburger he got.

"Well, you see the guy walking to that table," Ethan pointed at Fred. "he might have taken everything so this hamburger was the only thing I could get." he sigh. "Guess it's your lucky day, Kait, you can have it."

"Really?" she asked.

"Yeah, I will be fine."

"I hope Summers are as nice as you are later."

"You mean Scott?" Ethan ask. "Why do you hope that?"

"Right, I haven't told you but I will have to play a romantic scene with your friend." Ethan smile.

"Scott Summers will be acting? You have to record it." Rogue was going to tell him to forget it but was cut off as food flew and hit the table Duncan sat at. They look around and saw it was Fred who had try to sit down and somehow landed on the floor and thrown the food. "Oh, boy this is going to get messy." Rogue look at Ethan and like he had seen the future the room was filled with food flying around and scream as the lunch had become a food war. Fred being in the middle and yelling.

"Are you going to stop him?" Ethan shook his head and took Kait's hand, shocking her. She was wearing gloves so he could without problems drag her with him out from there, without getting hit. He was going to go as he open the door for her, but stop as he saw Jean running to Fred who lift a table.

"Go, I will be back." He told Rogue and she walk out as Ethan turn and run to Jean. He saw Scott and nodded to him. Jean trip and as Fred was on his way to hit her Scott made the table to break down so he hit the tables foot in the air. Both Scott and Ethan come up to each of Jean's side. Scott standing ready to shut again and Ethan holding around her to help her come up.

"Jean?" Fred ask as he first now realize Jean had been close to get hit.

"Back off, big guy." Scott said. "But if you want a fight, why don't try us?" he said, referring to himself and Ethan. Fred grown.

"Scott, Ethan go. I will be fine, won't we Fred?"

"They shouldn't have laughed at me."

"No, you right, they shouldn't." Jean told him and turn to Scott. "Don't you have class or something?"

"I will be close if you need me, real close." he told her but look at Fred before he walked to go out from the room. Ethan however didn't move and still hold Jean up from lay on the floor. He eyed Fred to show him he wasn't afraid to fight him. He wouldn't care to be careful with opening the doors, or hold back if it comes to it. Jean, understanding it too with the look he gave Fred try to calm him down. She put her hand on his chest.

"Ethan, go I will be fine."

"I don't trust him." he muttered loud enough to let Fred hear.

"I know, but do you trust me?" Jean ask. Ethan didn't answer as he was staring at Fred. Jean took her hand to make him look at her. "Ethan, do you trust me?"

"You know I trust you." he told her, meaning the words.

"When leave. I will be fine, I trust Fred." Ethan didn't like it, her trusting him, but he didn't fight her as he helped her to her feet.

" _Contact me the second he does something you don't like."_ he told her thought mind and left.

Outside the room, he saw Scott leave one way and Rogue the other. The Principal standing at the lockers. He guessed the two of them had spoken when she came. He shook his head and walk over to her. She just looked at him as he crossed his arms and lean against the lockers.

"What?" she asked him, her voice being neither kind or angry. Friendlier annoying. Ethan sigh.

"I don't get why you are still here." he told her. "Father doesn't like you being here, you know."

"Like I care that Charles thinks." it became silent for a while before she asked, "How are you holding up."

"With the fact that _Mystique_ makes the girl you talk to scared of us, or that I have hard time to sleep, have parents that are on different sides about Mutant, which make myself wonder which side I'm on, my dad being all 'see the good' about me while my mother seems to not want to have anything with me before I join her side? Well other than that, I'm super."

"You know that's not true." the Principal told him, her voice being lower and more… sympathy. Ethan snorted.

"Which part?" he asked. "That the girl is afraid, it's true. Me having hard time to sleep, it's true. My parents be on different sides, true that too."

"You know that I mean." she told him and he did know what she meant, but he didn't believe her. "So, why do you have a hard time to sleep?"

"Why do you care?"

"You know I care, you are-"

"A mutant with powers you would like to use for your own game." Ethan cut her off. "Sorry to tell you, but you will have to go know, if I don't mistaken, haven't you a work to do or are you going to stand here all day?"

"Don't you have class?"

"Lunch." Ethan said and she didn't say anything. They look at each other, and she ended up being the one turning her back and leave. Which didn't surprise him. He walked back to the door just as he saw Jean coming walking. He opened it as Fred call her name.

"Yes?"

"Nothing." he told her and she walk out with Ethan.

"You are such a jerk sometimes." Jean told him.

"Well, you seem to be happier now than before." Ethan comment.

"Yes, I might have got Fred to agree to come to the institution to meet the Professor someday."

"Great." Ethan muttered.

"Do you still have the extra cloth I put in your car for that game?" Jean ask him, ignoring his comment. He nodded and she held her hand out for him to give her his keys. "You will get them back when we drive home later. Okay?" he sighed and gave her the keys. "See you later." she told him and left. He stood there, just watching as she left before he went to find his next class, which he had with Rogue.

Ethan run out from the school and was going to his car as he heard Jean in his head.

" _Ethan!"_ she called for help and he stop in his tracks. He tried to look at her as their bond somehow start letting them locate each other if they really concentrated. He also used his powers and found her beside the school there they as repeating the school building. He saw her with Fred, trying to get away from him by using her powers to throw things at him.

"Hey!" he yelled and run over to them, but as he reached them the scaffolding went down.

"Ethan!" Jean scream and Fred try to cover Jean, but she got hurt as they both came under all the scaffolding. Ethan, not getting any cover at all jumped and use some of his powers, but in the end, he was unconscious under some of the scaffolding too. Fred, seeing the wound on Jean and how Ethan look almost not alive took them both with him and left the school.

* * *

Ethan opened his eyes to find himself bond around some chair with metal and a gag. He could feel Jean being close and look around. The building was old, that was for sure. He however couldn't figure out where he was. Just as he was about to contact his father the door in the other side of the room opened and he saw Fred coming out and spotted Jean sitting in a similar situation as himself, just with no gag and a lot of candles and a nice table.

" _I see you have a nice date…"_

"Ethan!" Jean call but the door was closed again. It didn't stop them from communicate, but Ethan felt he was bleeding and was unsure how long he would be able to keep using his powers. " _Ethan, are you okay?"_

" _Yeah, I'm fine."_

" _Don't lie, I can feel your pain."_

" _It's just a scratch."_

" _Feels like a lot more than a scratch."_ Ethan look down, his shirt was all filled with blood. How long before he would faint of too little blood, or die? He looked up and saw Fred all happy and singing. " _I have contact your father, if we lucky they will come."_

" _I hope so, Jean."_ Ethan responded, feeling weaker and weaker.

" _Ethan don't lose your consciousness, talk to me."_

" _I'm just a bit tired."_

" _God, Ethan, don't leave me!"_ the sound of a fight made Ethan look up again. He hadn't noticed Wolverine had come and start fighting Fred. he whoever didn't seem to stand much to a chance. " _Ethan, don't give up, I will get to you. Stay awake."_

" _How much longer?"_ he asked, fighting to not close his eyes. He lost concentration on the fight but could somehow hear Scott for a moment and when his blasts flew. The next thing he knew he saw Jean in the small room again and Fred be on his way to let a machine fall on him. Ethan gave it all he had to make Fred see fire and lava come running down at him. He lost the machine and start to scream. When Scott's blast came again, but this time Ethan got the sight of Rogue before he passed out.

"Ethan!" Jean call. Rogue fought Fred as she used Scott's power, having control. She sent him flying and then run over to her only friend, or what he now was.

"Ethan, wake up." she hit him a bit on his cheek and he ended up opening his eyes for a moment.

"Kait…?" he whispered, "I… I knew you had it in you." he told her referring to her being a hero and save others and not being selfish and save herself, but also the fact she had use her powers and had control.

"Ethan, I will get you to the hospital, stay awake!" he closed his eyes but opened his mouth.

"No… no hospital, Jean… I need Jean-" Rogue look unsure at him but turn around to see Jean trying to get free. Rogue left Ethan and walk over to her.

"Kait, please…" Jean said as she saw her standing in front of her.

"Why does he need you?" Rogue asked. "Your powers?"

"No, not only my powers, can you please just let me go so I can save him from himself and then get him help!" Jean scream as Kitty and Kurt just run into the building and saw Ethan all bleeding. Kitty talk to Charles thought mind and he told them to prepare the car to get him home, fast. Jean still thought to come free and the tears. "Kait, please, I promise he or I will tell you everything later, I- I just can't lose him!" Rogue look at her and understood she was serious with her only be able to save him. So, she used Fred's powers and let her free. Jean thanked her and run out to Kitty, Kurt and Ethan. She sat in front of him in his high and didn't hesitate as she kissed him. The others didn't really look shock as Charles had told them about their bond, but Rogue did. She left as Jean work with closing and locking all the doors before leaving his mind and tell Kurt and Kitty to help him free. Kitty, knowing her powers wouldn't work on Ethan took the metal instead and let it go through him. Jean when was fast to make him levitate to the car.

"Go, I and Kurt will help Scott and Logan." Kitty told her and Jean nodded thanks before she drove back to the mansion.


	6. Chapter 5: Speed and Spyke

Chapter 5: Speed and Spyke

One day, that's how long Jean hadn't done anything but sit by Ethan's side as he was unconfident. His doors were close so he was okay in his mentally level. His physically however had been dammed a lot. He had lost a lot of blood and some bones brook. As Jean sat by his side as normal, Charles enter the room.

"Jean, you should need a break." he told her. "You need to rest." she shook her head.

"Sorry, Professor, but I won't leave his side before he asks me to." she told him. He didn't become shock as he knew how close they were it was only expected. "It's my fault he got hurt, Professor." Jean whisper. "I shouldn't have let my guard down for Fred. I should have been ready and let someone be close."

"No Jean, you did the right thing." Charles said. "You gave him your trust as Ethan has given his to you. You were just unlucky that he didn't understood you wanted his beast and not understanding everything was about him." Jean didn't reply, making Charles continued to speak. "I don't know, but Ororo said you two was fighting last night. Care to talk about it?"

"It's just," Jean hesitated, "he seems to keep something from me, and I don't know what."

"I see."

"You know what it is, don't you?"

"I do, but I believe it's not my choice to tell you." Charles said. "He will tell you when he is ready." Jean nodded.

"I hope he know I am here for him, whatever it is."

"He does. Trust me, he knows."

Ethan opened his eyes and try to focus. He still felt the pain, but try to ignore it. He slowly remembered what had happened as his sight become better and he saw Jean sitting on a chair beside him, her head against his bed and sleeping. It was dark outside and he just watch as Jean sleep.

"She has just come back from a trip." Logan had entered his room and stood now by the end of it. "She hasn't left you side before your father told her to go with Scott to meet Evan."

"What have I missed?" Ethan ask, still looking at Jean who look all exhausted.

"Ororo's nephew has some trouble with accepting to come here, but he is here as he promised to give us a chance."

"Evan is here?" Ethan ask. "Ha, I would never believe that if I didn't feel a new present in the building." he lean back and look at Logan. "Where is my father?"

"Asleep as all the others."

"When why are you up?"

"You know me kiddo, I just wanted to check on you." Ethan raise an eyebrow. "Okay, maybe I wanted to see if you were alive and could perhaps hear your thought about something. I wonder what you are going to do, with your mother."

"Don't Logan." Ethan warned him. "I will not talk with you about this."

"I'm just worried okay, I'm unsure if I can trust you or not." Logan told him. "You might be here and Chuck and Red might believe in your all good side. But you don't have me convinced." Logan said like a warning, making Ethan smirk.

"The Wolverine, worried about me turning his back. What a joke."

"Don't please yourself." Logan told him. "Just answer this one question. When your mother come to collect you, will you go with her?" Ethan didn't reply as he didn't really know what to say. Logan took the silent as a maybe and more a yes than no.

"Don't worry, I will be on my way when I'm on my feet again."

"Where do you plan to go?"

"I have some things to do. Nothing for you to worry about." Logan snorted and left the room. Jean work up as he smashed the door after him. She looked around and then saw Ethan be awake. She stood up and hug him.

"Oh my God, Ethan!"

"Jean, you are crashing me."

"I'm sorry." she said and let him go. "How are you feeling?"

"It's good, you?"

"Only a bit tried. I and Scott meet Evan today. He was not… happy to see us, can you say."

"The boy might be a kid, but you must be amaze of how he has control himself for so long." Ethan muttered and look at Jean. "You should go and sleep in your own bed, Jean. You don't look that good."

"Like I said, just a bit tired."

"When go and sleep, I will see you in the morning, I promise not to go anywhere."

"And you expect me to trust that you won't go to the Danger room the second you can stand?" Jean joked, but had a serious face. Ethan shook his head.

"Bye, Jean. Sleep well." he said and made Jean roll her eyes. She however bent forward to kiss his cheek and left the room to go to her own.

Jean found Ethan in the kitchen the next day and she stared at him. He stood there like he hadn't been hurt and he didn't seem to have any problems. Charles was sitting by the table and had a newspaper, Ororo walk back and forth to place breakfast on the long table.

"Should you be out of bed?" Jean ask as she walk over to Ethan and start helping him take the eggs to the plate.

"Good morning to you too."

"You two, less talk more do." Logan said and Ethan roll his eyes but had a smile as he took the plate with egg out to the table. The other came in to the dinner room and everyone sat down. Jean, Ethan and Ororo to Charles left and Kitty, Kurt, Scott and Logan to his right. There was an empty chair for Evan beside Ororo.

"Where is the new kid?" Kitty ask

"Still sleeping." Charles told her. "He had a quite rough night."

"He knows who broke those lockers, has he told you?" Scott ask Charles.

"Lockers?" Ethan ask. He didn't really understand what they talk about as he had just come back from bed. He understood he had missed quite a lot.

"Evan run away then we try to talk to him." Jean told Ethan and gave Logan the plate with eggs as he asked for them. "He went back to his school there the cops catch him with all the lockers damage."

"He said he didn't do it." Logan snorted. "I don't know, but he seems kind of arrogant like he think he can do anything he want to."

"Are you saying we shouldn't help him?" Ororo ask Logan.

"I say we help him but have an eye on him, we can never be sure if _he_ is on our side or do something for his own purpose." Ethan got the point from what Logan was saying. He didn't trust him. It was obviously. Ethan stood up and walk to leave.

"I just need to rest some more." he told his father when he asked where he was going. In the stairs he met Evan, his housecoat all asunder. They look at each other and Ethan had a hard time to really see the small kid he used to play with sometimes as a kid.

"You have grown up."

"Yeah, you too." Ethan relay.

"Why would he not trust me?" Evan asked after a while of more stare.

"Trust me, it's not you he was meaning." Ethan answered. "I will have to go. I have some things to do."

"No game?" Evan asked.

"Sorry, body." Ethan walked past him. "Not today."

Charles looked at his son in worry. They were in his office as Ororo, Scott and Jean was with Evan to see is game which had come up in the last minute.

"You think _she_ plan this, don't you?"

"She is not to trust, Ethan,"

"I know dad, but that doesn't mean she has to do with everything what come out bad." Charles shook his head.

"You right, she doesn't, now tell me why you have a bag packed and why I saw you fix with your motorcycle that you almost haven't use in ages."

"Dad, listen-"

"You are leaving, aren't you?"

"Just for some time. I will be to hand if you need me, but there is someone I have to meet."

"You are not going to talk to your mother, are you?" Charles ask.

"Maybe I stop by and talk to her, but now." Ethan said. "I, I think I have someone to help me with my powers." Charles raised an eyebrow. "See, you know we talk about all these doors for each power and my blood lust. I think this person might be able to help me keep them closer for longer and maybe make me able to use my powers more, to help in the fights and not be worry to make Jean or you worry. I also need to think dad."

"Because of that Logan said? You know I trust you even if you would end up with your mother. It's just, I don't like the idea that you are going to go and think someone can help you."

"I told you, I want to try, train and think." Ethan repeated. "I will be a call away and I won't block Jean out if she needs me, I promise."

"Very well, if you think this will help you. I will not stop you."

"Thanks dad."

"But," he stopped Ethan in his tracks to go. "I need you to help Rogue first."

"How will I help her?" Ethan ask. "We both know she doesn't trust the X-Men. How am I to help you with getting her here?"

"I don't know, just try something. Just talk to her, and when you have done that you can go to where you have to go."

"If I go now and talk to her, can I leave after?" Ethan ask.

"Okay then, go, but please be careful and take care."

"I will."

"So, you are leaving?" Logan enter the garage and saw Ethan pack his old motorcycle. It was a lot like Logan's but black and a bit newer model. Ethan didn't answer him as he didn't feel to talk to him. "What are you going to tell Red? Hey kiddo."

"Shut it down, Logan." Ethan yell. "I'm leaving, okay. I'm to meet a friend and when I will leave this town for a little while. Not too long, I promise."

"And if your father needs you?"

"I will be available to help you, but I will not come here before I'm ready."

"Where exactly, are you going?"

"None of your business." Ethan told him and jumped on the bike and drive away. He drove to the school there he found Rogue by a three. "Kait." he call and walk over. She looked up at him and she saw his bike.

"Hey, are you okay? Are you leaving?"

"Yeah I'm fine and I will just be gone for a week or two I hope. I'm off to see an old friend and ask for her help." Rogue look at him.

"Her?" she asked. "Can't Grey help you?"

"I'm afraid not with this. I'm… going to see if I can make my powers more stable without Jean having to, you know kiss me every time."

"Yeah, she told me about your so-called doors." Rogue almost said in a whisper.

"I'm want to thank you, for helping us against Fred." Ethan said. "My friends and I am in debt for you. Here." he gave her a note with a phone number. "Why don't you call me if you need anything. I will do what I can to help you. About anything."

"Thanks."

"No problem, and one more thing. Be careful with Mystique, she can play nice but be a real tiger." Ethan told her. "Trust me, the X-Men will help you if you need it, but as long as you are careful I guess you won't have any problem, will you Rogue?"

"Rogue?"

"I might have some better knowledge than you think." Ethan smirk. "I will see you Rogue, take care." he left her by the tree and drive off with his bike.


	7. Chapter 6: Frost

Chapter 6: Frost

Ethan jump of his bike and walk to the small house in the forest. It had taken him more time than he had plan to reach the house. So much he knew, Jean told him Evan had join the team from just two days ago as Spyke, which was good. She had however not sounded very happy with the thought as she had yelled at him through the phone. Ethan push the thoughts to the side as he knocked at the door and after a while it opened and there stood girl, not much older than himself. She was blond and was dress in all white. Her lips in the same white and her eyes was light blue like ice.

"What do we have here?" she asked and look at him with a smile.

"Emma." Ethan said as a hi and walk in without waiting for her to invite him. He looked around and found the house like a small cottage in the middle of nowhere. Quite fitting if he thought about it. A cottage in a forest with snow and all cold and dark.

"What are you doing here, Xavier?"

"My my, Emma." Ethan said and walk to the kitchen to take a drink. "I thought you would be happy to see me again." he said as he closed the fridge and took the drink. Emma just watch him as he moved around like he knew where everything was. "You seem to get away from your father and all. Quite lonely would I say."

"For the last time, Ethan!" Emma took the drink from him. "What are you doing here?"

"I just thought I would visit, you know." He said and keep walk around to look at pictures and other nice things. "It was a long time since I saw you."

"Don't play nice with me, Xavier. Has your father sent me to be recruited to the X-Men?"

"He still doesn't know about you, Frost." Ethan took a picture and smile at it. It showed Emma and himself in the snow. His mother had taken him up to the mountains before his father knew about him. She had try to keep him in secret, but as someone else was after her, she gave him up to his father. Maybe the biggest mistake to do. "My mother didn't even believe me when I told her about the girl in the forest. However, you will help me more than she can."

"Didn't you get yourself another Telepath?" Emma ask him.

"I did, but her powers can't do other than stable me for a little time. You however," he turned to face her, "you did something with me, and I want you to undo it." she walk over to him and took the picture from his hand. "You were quite cut on that one."

"Just leave, Ethan."

"Not before you help me." he told her. "You did something and I want to know why and what."

"Have you still not figure it out," she leaned forward to whisper in his ear, "I opened those so-called doors for you. You ask me as a kid to help you have all your powers, guess you were just not ready." she walk past him and to the door. "Now leave."

"Can you undo it?" he asked her.

"Why would I?"

"I don't know, why not?" Ethan ask and walk over to her. He stood taller than her, even if she was older. "Maybe I can do something for you in the future, Emma." he said. "If you help me with my powers and the door so I stop need to be afraid to wanna kill, I will owes you one."

"You know, if I help you close the doors you will mostly need my help for some days to get use to it. Your powers will mostly start from level one with letting you only make people see what you want as when you were kids. Controlling elements, feel other Mutants maybe even breaking the bond you have with your girlfriend."

"She isn't my girlfriend, and if you can get my powers back to stable I won't need her to close the doors. We will both be able to live normal." Ethan said.

"So, what, you don't have any feeling for Miss. Grey?" Emma ask.

"Maybe I have, but if it is to become something I want it to be real and not desperate that I'm in need of her to survive. My father and I both know this... stat you have put me in takes on my life line. If this continue, Frost, I might not get the half of the age my father is."

"And what does your mother think about this, or your so call not your girlfriend."

"Jean doesn't know I'm here, and we both know my mother doesn't have much to say in this." Ethan said and pointed out that Emma knew the answer already and her question just had been a waste of time. Ethan had already decided and Emma understood that.

"Alright, I do it," she walked over to the couch and sat down. "But, not now. I need to prepare myself and you should do the same."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Sleep, talk to your friends so your mind is empty. It's going to be a long day tomorrow." Emma told him. He looked at her a bit worried.

"What exactly are you going to do?"

"We are going to… destroy the doors you could say or make them to walls. However it will make us have to replay some memories that are paired with that door and when I'm in your memory and you know why that memory was to that door I will be able to make it disappear. Or stabilat." she told him.

"Are my memory going to disappear?"

"No, they are just going to maybe feel a lot more, after all we will take your sympathy back to normal." she said and stood up. "Take the couch. Tomorrow evening I want you to be ready and not upset, have strong feelings for something. You will be all peaceful, understood?" Ethan nodded. "Good, sleep well." she walk to the small hall and open a door.

"Emma!" Ethan call and catch her attention. "Thanks."

"You will be owe me, Ethan, no matter what it is, you will be owe me."

"I will, I promise."

"Say that again than you have a real hart." she enter the room and lock the door after her. Leaving Ethan to stand alone in the livingroom. He walk over and lay down in the couch. Maybe this would take more than a week or two, but it would be worth it. He would not be in need of his father's pity, Jean powers or bond, they would be normal friends, with a normal relationship. Perhaps his mother would be proud over him, or she might hate him for giving up his powers. But again, he didn't gave them up, just lock them down until his body was ready. His mind too. He would be stronger. He understood that much as his powers would not break him down to wanna kill someone. He would be able to give it his all.

"I'm not an X-Men." he said to the air and close his eyes, "but I'm not with you either, mother." unknown to him, Emma was standing by the door and hear him speaking. Hope go through her eyes as a blink. Maybe it would soon be time, she thought. Maybe she would be able to undo what she had done.

Ethan was in the forest when Emma walk up. He was trying to get a connection with his phone and got one. He call the number he had memorize, but didn't got any answer. So he call his father instead.

" _Ethan, has something happened?"_

"No, I'm fine." Ethan answer. "Just want to know if something new has happened."

" _Well, yesterday we got Kurt back with Froge."_

"Who?"

" _Long story short, Kurt was sent to another dimension and meet Froge, we got them both out safe. Turn out Scott found out Rogue was working for Mystique too, but I guess you already knew that."_

"Yeah, I kind of did." Ethan said. "Where is Jean? She didn't answer my phone call and I guess my mind isn't strong right now to reach her from here." Ethan said and look up to see Emma coming walking from her house. She made a sign for food and went in again.

" _She is at the school, Ororo are going to get her. Turn out the Principal change so she couldn't join the field trip and the Rogue got it instead."_

"Poor, Scott." Ethan joked.

" _Do you want me to tell her to call when she comes home?"_

"No, it's fine. Just wonder so everything was alright."

" _It is. The gang are beginning to get real close. How is it with you? Found your friend yet?"_

"I have, but turn out I might need to stay for a bit longer than I thought. I will be back, I promise."

" _Good, don't do anything stupid."_

"I won't, tell the Jean I said hi." the connection broke and Ethan put his phone in his pocket as he walked back to the house. Emma was sitting by the dinner table and had food all ready. There was nothing more than he had home at the institut, like she had made it with thought he would eat as well. Making him a bit shocked.

"What are you waiting for?" she asked as she some sips from her coffee. Ethan didn't say anything but sat down on the chair opposite from hers. "How old are you know? Six-"

"Seventeen." Ethan cut her off and took some food to his plate. "I turn eighteen in a month."

"What's nice." they sat in silent as they eat and no one look up at the other, like the food was more interesting, or that was until Emma broke the silent again. "Everything okay back home?" he nodded. "And your mind, all clear?" a nodd again. "Good, why don't you take a bath and change to a pair of jogging pants, it might be a tips for you to bath in cold water." she stood up and walk away. Ethan eat the last of his food before he located himself to the bathroom.

Ethan came out to find the living room almost empty. Couth and tables had been moved to the side so a empty space on the floor was arranged. A pillow and a bucket with water standing in the middle. Ethan only wear a pair of jogging pants as he walk over to the middle. Emma came in sight. She had the same cloth as always. White top and jeans so you saw her stomach and a cape stuck to the top.

"Lay down with your head on the pillow." she order him and he didn't fight. "I will just start slow, so you know what to expect." she told him and sat by his head so she could have one hand on each side of his head, by his ears. "Just close your eyes and let your mind be all clear, let me find what I'm suppose to." Ethan try to do as he was told and he start to see. He and Emma both start to see a younger Ethan running around in a big garden. He had a toy in his hand as he run and then… "Ethan, clean your mind." Emma said as she lost connection.

"No, stop." Ethan opened his eyes and sat up, making Emma move back. "I can't- that's personal things."

"I told you I need personal to reach your doors." Emma told him. "I'm like your telepath, I can't find that deep down to your thoughts so I can close or even move your doors, more less make them disappear. I need to come deeper."

"How deep?"

"As far as the hole goes." Emma try to explain and making Ethan understand she meant deep.

"Okay, let's try again." he lay down but Emma shook her head.

"No, you are not ready right now. Your mind is all a mess." she stood up. "We will try again tomorrow." she left him in the living room and walk to her room. Locking the door like the day before. Ethan lay down again as he had sat up to see her go. He closed his eyes and try to clear his head. He had to let go of emotions or anything if he wanted to get Emma to do this.


	8. Chapter 7: Locate and Outcast

Chapter 7: Locate and Outcast ( **A/N: thanks for the reviews)**

Ethan and Emma had the same routine as yesterday, except Ethan didn't call his father or Jean. They both woke up and eat breakfast together in silent. Then Ethan went for a run and explore the mountains as Emma did her normal routines. Make dinner ready, read letters, writer her owns and take care of her house. When Ethan came back they eat and after he took a new bath and when he came out the things was place like it had been the evening before. He lay down and Emma sat by his head, one hand on each side of his head. This time she got thought more and the memory was easier to see than it had last evening.

 _A young brown haired boy ran around in a garden with a toy in his hand. It was a ball he had and he was throwing it up and down in the sky. The weather was nice and everything seem perfect. But he suddenly stopped and look around, all sad. No one was there, no one to play with. No one to talk to. No one. Unnoticed for the boy however, a grown-up Ethan and Emma stood right beside him. Emma in the same ice dress and Ethan in a pair of dark blue jeans and a black shirt._

"You were kind of cut as a kid." _Emma comment. Ethan roll his eyes. "_ Anyway, why are we here?" _Ethan raise an eyebrow._

"How should I know? You took me here!"

"No, I took you to a memory to connect to one of your powers. Your mind was the one taking us here." _she look at the boy who still didn't see them._ "Your mind seem to see this as a memory to symbolize one of your gifts, one of your door."

"So, what I'm supposed to do?"

"Figure out with gift the memory belong to and take me deeper down." _Emma explain._

"Yeah, sounds easy." _Ethan look at himself as a boy again but nothing happened._ "It can be that I'm alone and didn't cry."

"Serious, Ethan!" _Emma hit him by his shoulder._ "You wanted my help and this is your first memory, it shouldn't be that hard." _he sigh and walk forward, looking more around. The smaller him was almost doing the same thing and the grown-up Ethan suddenly stop as he realized what this was._

"I was alone." _he whisper and turn to Emma._ "I remember I felt alone and didn't have any friend. I wanted so badly to found someone."

"Which means?" _Emma ask as the memory change and the small Ethan was now talking to some other boy. But a woman came running and took him away. The scene change again and the same boy was looking at groups of people all in their own groups._

"Power to locate." _the grown-up Ethan whisper._ "I was alone and my mother never let me play with humans."

"So, you wanted to find others like you, other Mutants." _it was like something change in Ethan's heart so his hand flew to his chest as Emma's words echoed._ "Good work, that wasn't so hard, was it?"

"What happened?" _Ethan ask and look at Emma. Then around to see they was in an endless white room._

"I made the first door go away, try to feel if I'm human or not." _Ethan try, but couldn't._

Ethan's eyes shut opened and he sat up as he try to feel of Emma's present. Still nothing, but she was sitting just inches from him. She had a small smile on her face as. Ethan try again with closing his eyes.

"It won't come back, how much you wish for it." Emma told him and he opened his eyes to look at her. "I make a door to a wall, it will stay as a wall until your mind is ready and you can develop that power as normal. Like I said, you will start from page one." Ethan nodded in understanding.

"Can we take one more?"

"No." Emma said and shook her head. She stood up. "It will take too much of my power, plus your mind and body need to take the progress slowly. If I were to make all the doors disappear and your powers it could cost a big deal of damage."

"So, we will do this every night until all the doors are gone? Then I'm finished here?"

"No, you will be like a child again, have no control of your powers." she told him. "You will stay so I know your body process everything well and you will have to train your powers again."

"Again?" Ethan muttered. "I didn't do it as a kid, this will be like an endless maze."

"Well, then I suggest you get some sleep. We will continue tomorrow." she walk away and left him. Locking her door.

"Hey, dad!" Ethan said thought the phone.

" _Ethan, how are you?"_

"Great, I have close one of the doors."

" _What do you mean?"_ Charles asked and Ethan thought for a moment about what to answer.

"My friend made one of the doors Jean use to have to close become a wall you could say." Ethan told him and he heard his father breath for air.

" _What do you mean?"_ he asked. " _How could your friend do that?"_

"Gifted, dad." Ethan answer and look around at the forest and the house. "Sorry, I can't tell you more. And don't try to use Cerebro, it won't find me. I guess I know the reason to why I can't communicate with Jean from here. The whole area block all kind of telepath from the outside."

" _Ethan, are you sure that you are doing is safe?"_

"I am, you will have to trust me."

" _You know I do, it's just I'm worried. Your mother would be too if she knew."_

"You think so?"

" _She might be against the way I see the Mutant and human world, but she has a heart and loves you."_ Charles said. Ethan was silent as he didn't know what to say. " _Your friend Rogue has join the X-Men."_

"She has?" Ethan ask. Shocked of the news. That wasn't what he had expected at all.

" _She and Scott had some problems with Mystique and Rogue learn she had trick her to believe we wanted to hurt her. So now she has join the X-Men and are sharing a room with Kitty, they had some problems in the beginning, but now they seem all friendly."_

"How is Jean?"

" _She seems still a bit upset that you left, but she was happy you at least try to call her. Want to talk to her?"_ Ethan was unsure what to answer. He didn't know if he wanted to talk to her. He didn't feel ready.

"No, I must go, but some other day. You can say hi to her and the others from me. And tell Scott not to get to control freak." he heard his father laugh a little from the other line, but guess he roll his eyes as well.

" _I will, play it safe, Ethan."_ Ethan broke the line and walk back to the house.

"Everything alright with your friends?" Emma ask as he enter. He nodded an answer.

"Yes, a friend of-"

"No need to explain." she cut him off. "I'm a telepath. I can read your mind."

"I don't block you?" Ethan ask, not understanding how he couldn't feel her in his head as he did with his father and Jean. He used to be able to block them as well, his father was still not a problem to keep out without effort, but Jean. It had started to take energy to hold her out all the time.

"You are in my territory, I have the power here." Emma told him and show him to lay down. "Plus, your mind is week from destroying the door. Now take your shirt of and lay down." He took his shirt off and lay down as she said.

"Why do I need to take my shirt of?"

"It's incase for when we come deeper down. Your body might become warm and heat up, what's why I have the water here too, now relax." he did as she told him and close his eyes, then they disappeared.

 _A maybe ten-year-old Ethan was walking in a big hall. It wasn't empty as the last memory, this was filled with people walking around and the small Ethan was in the middle of it all. He didn't move, just look around and try to find a way though. As he did found a way he was very careful not to touch anyone, but the moment he was out from the hall of people a gang of four kids stood in front of him. The one in the front having his arms crossed over his chest. The small Ethan backed and made a run for it. He run from the school and the boy chase him. Ethan seem to know where to go and where people was. Then, when the small Ethan run to into an ally the memory faded._

"Is this still the locate door?" _the grown-up Ethan ask as he and Emma was in the endless white room. She shook her head._

"That door is gone and won't come back, this is another door and another difficulty." _she answer._ "We are coming deeper and deeper, it will make it harder for you to scan which door I must close." _Ethan look around, the scene change and the ten-year-old Ethan stood in front of the grown-up Ethan. The ten-year-old look around from where he stood at the end of the hall. He watched as people walk past and then suddenly start to walk._

"I don't understand anything!" _Ethan yelled. He walked after his smaller version and Emma was right behind him._

"What power do you have that'll make you look at people?" _Emma ask him._

"None." _Ethan answer and they enter a new room. The danger room from the institute. It wasn't on, but people was in the room and the smaller Ten-Ethan walk around, scanning every person._ "This is not a memory." _Ethan told Emma._

"Maybe not, but it is to mean something. Your mind made it up." _she told him._ "Now, focus, what power does you have that makes you stare at people!"

"None! I don't stare at people like that!"

"Then why does your memory seem to think you stare at people?" _Emma ask and pointed at the Ten-Ethan._

"He doesn't stare at them-" _Ethan try to defend himself but stop as he released the boy that was him did steer, but it wasn't on the people, it had thought them. Emma got a smile as she saw him get the realizing in his look and walk around the people to as his smaller version._ "I didn't stare at them." _he whisper._ "I was trying to read them. To see their deepest thoughts. I had the ability to feel who was a mutant, and I learn the humans would never like me. They bully me."

"So, you wanted to understand them? Know why?" _Emma ask and made him nod._

"I learn how they thought and I start to… _see_ what they wanted to do. Their greatest wish." _he turn to look at Emma and their scene change to the white endless one as he said the words._ "I start to _read_ their deepest wish." _the hit in the heart came again and Ethan shut his eyes opened._

Emma and Ethan was back in her living room and he sat up straight. Holding his one hand over his chest, his heart. He just sat like that and breath.

"Did you close it?" he asked after a while and turn to face Emma. She nodded.

"Yes, seems like it's only six more doors."

"Two down, six to go." Ethan said with a smile. They were getting somewhere.


	9. Chapter 8: Earth and Water

Chapter 8: Earth and Water

The day didn't really change. Ethan left Emma's house in the morning and when he came back they eat and then he took a bath to later come out and find Emma ready to work. He walked over and sat down.

"Why do you help me?" he asked her before laying down.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I mean, what can make you do this?" he repeated himself. "What is it you want me to do with that favor that can make you use a lot of your strange to do this." Emma didn't look at him as she didn't answer, making him add, "I'm great full, just wondering why."

"Why is none of your business." Emma told him. "Now lay down or we can skip this." Ethan shook his head and lay down. Emma sat by his head as the past time. Then the living room disappeared.

 _Ethan, in the age somewhere between eight to eleven, run through the halls of the mansion. He however didn't seem happy. He was more like he didn't want to run, but he had to. He ended up at the hall entrance, there he stood above the stairs and saw his father with a boy coming in. The boy had blindfolded as he follows Charles._

" _Ethan!" Charles call and he run down to meet his father and the boy. "This is Scott Summers. Would you like to show him what the talk about?" Ethan look at the boy. He couldn't read him with his blindfolded, but he felt he was like him. A mutant._

" _Hi, Summers, my name is Ethan." the boy didn't move. "I'm going to show you something, so don't be scared." he told him before he began to use his powers. For Charles, Emma and the grown-up Ethan it look like the boys just stare at each other. Scott thought the blindfolded and small Ethan right at him._

"What are you showing him?" _Emma ask Ethan and look at him._

"I show him a world he needed to see." _he answered._ "I show him a possible further there we lived in peace with the humans, all of us." _The scene change and now Ethan, Scott and Jean was in the danger room. They fight and Scott had his new glass on so he could shoot blasts from his eye without hurting the wrong people._

" _Ethan! Behind you!" Jean call to him and he turn around in the moment as Scott shot the thing that try to attack him._

" _Ethan, Jean!" Scott yelled. "We need to cover each other, make a formation to cover each other's backs!" he ordered. The small Ethan grown but Jean just nodded. They did the formation, but it turned out it didn't work that good. Ethan left the formation to take the machines off and the game had ended. "What was that!"_

" _What? I won the game." Ethan told him._

" _No, you didn't listen to me and risked putting Jean and I in danger."_

" _I would never put Jean in danger, I simple had hope you would protect her long enough for me to end this game." Ethan said._

" _Well you just did!"_

" _You not my boss, Summers!"_

" _Scott, Ethan!" Jean yell and they look at each other. The picture change and Ethan was alone in his room as Ororo came in. She sat down beside him at his bed and lay a hand around him. She didn't say anything, not in the beginning._

" _How are you?" she asked._

" _It just sucks." Ethan answer her. "He is not the leader and I am sorry to tell you, but I will not follow his order like Jean can." Ororo look at the boy._

" _You right, Scott is not to be the leader. You are the one, Charles son." the scene change again. Ethan was now in his father's office. Alone, waiting for his father to come._

"I don't understand." _the grown-up Ethan said. He turned to Emma._ "Which power can this be?"

"You have six doors left, I would guess four is element doors and one the illusion. The last can I not read." _Emma said as Charles enter the room._

" _How are your training going?"_

" _Good." Ethan answer. "Cyke is just over ruler, he thinks he is the leader."_

" _Who is the leader then?" Charles ask. "I team need someone to look up to, on with experiences that can guide them."_

" _I'm not going to follow orders from Summers." Ethan told him._

" _Would you like to give them instead?" Ethan shook his head. "What do you want?"_

" _I don't know. I want my mother, I don't want to be in this freak place and train every day. We are not going anywhere anyway!"_

" _Ethan, have hope in the humans. They will accept us one day and then we need to show them that we have control." Charles told them._

" _Whatever, I'm not going to continue this training. I do it on my own."_

" _You jump of the X-Men?"_

" _I'm not an X-Men, dad. I never was and I never will be." Ethan left the room and left his father alone._

"Still having that thought?" _Emma ask._

"I'm not my father, neither am I my mother." _Ethan answer._ "I'm not an X-Men, I will never be."

"So, which power? I can feel that you know it, but I need you to say it out loud. To accept it."

"Earth," _Ethan said._ "My whole life people has expect me to be leading the X-Men as my father's son. But it's not my role to take over the team. It's not that I'm supposed to do." _the scene become all white and they were back in the endless room. Ethan felt the jump in his heart._

"I think it's enough for-" _Emma was cut off as the scene change and they were in a forest. It was a cold snow forest and Emma could recognize the place as well as Ethan._

"Why are we here?" _Ethan ask._

"Seems like your mind isn't ready to leave jet. We are deeper down now, I can feel it."

"Emma, are there a risk that we won't come out from here?"

"There is a change, but it's not big. Your mind will just have to decide when it's finish, but for now. I think we will have to close one more door before we leave." _Ethan nodded and they look around._

 _Not older than Five-Ethan run through the forest. He was not fast but he was at least not planned to be slow either. He tripped through the forest and it was like he was running from something. Suddenly he tripped and roll down the small hill. He rolled right into a blond girl, which he felled and dragged with him down the hill. As they landed on the ground, at the hills end, he had landed above the girl and his lips was cruising hers. As the girl realize that happened she turned to a diamond form and knock him off. He fell back and look at the diamond girl. She looked at him a while before she walked away, he still shook look as she walked before he came to his feet and run after._

"Nice first impression." _Emma muttered as she walked after the kids._

"Now you see it wasn't my fault." _Ethan said and follow. The kids walk to a river. The girl back in her human form and they boy silent going after, forgetting he had been running. The girl was going to drink from the water, but had her eyes on the boy all the time. She was careful then she sat down to drink. The boy who was thirsty walk closer and touch the water, making the girl stop drinking. He took some water to drink and she began to drink again. That's what they did, drink and not speak._

"Why does we see this memory?" _Emma ask Ethan._

"I believe you have a connection to me, if I like it or not you were a change in my life." _Ethan said and the scene change._ "Water." _Ethan said and felt the jump in his chest._

Ethan open his eyes and look up at Emma. She opened her eyes right after he did, he could see her light blue ice eyes. He felt good there he was on the floor. Like he was home, not with his father and not with his mother. Just home. There he was supposed to be.

"We should go and get rest." she told him and stood up.

"You never answer me." Ethan stop her. "Why do you help me?" she smiled and kiss his cheek.

"My secret for now." she answer him and left. Leaving him with questions in the living room. He had a weird feeling about her. He wasn't supposed to like her for what she has done, but something told him she cared about him and that he wanted to have her close. Like it was normal to have her close.

The sun was in the sky as Ethan had decided to leave for a while. He found the small town he had been living in for a little while. It wasn't big, but it had a food place and it was nice to be in a place he once called home. He had lived there with his mother for a while, as they had been on the run from his father.

Ethan found the small dinner cafe and walk in to take a seat. He ordered and got a newspaper. He wasn't ready for who was coming when the doors opened and the person walk over to him to sit across the table.

"So, it's here you are." he look up to see Mystique taking a seat. "Your father told me you had left for a while to train and meet a friend. I guess my instinct told me right." Ethan roll his eyes. Why would his father tell her that much and why would she come after him?

"What do you want?" he asked and put the newspaper to the side and look at her. "I was having a nice time before you came, _mother._ " She bended forward to have her head in her hades. Smiling at him she responded.

"Well, Magneto want you to join the Brotherhood." she told him, making Ethan snort. Of course, she was here on order. Why would she come for him? She had given him up and she wouldn't possible take him back if she didn't have a reason. "Who is helping you? Your so call forest friend?" Ethan smile. He remembered he had try to tell her about Emma as a kid, but she didn't believe him of course and he gave up trying.

"You still don't believe she is real do you?" Ethan said. "Well, she does help me and you can forget that I will join your group of idiots." Her eyes narrow.

"Listen, Magneto doesn't like that you might have help Rogue go to the X-Men, he let you be for this long because you weren't interfere. But he might come after you now." she told him. "I only want to help you, so I will tell you know to contact him and join his side."

"Erik has no right to decide over me, so I say let him come. But he should know; I won't let him boss me around." Ethan said and stood up. "I'm not afraid of him, and he has no chance against me here. Not now."

"Your father and I are worried about you, why do you think he told me you had left?" Ethan laughed.

"You don't care about me, why would I believe you? What could Eric possible do against me."

"He can hurt you and use you against your father. I know, your father told me about you closing the doors, but that need to influence you." Ethan didn't say anything and Mystique figure it out. "You are losing your powers, aren't you?"

"I have a call to make, want me to say hi to dad from you?"

"Charles doesn't need to know about this mother and son meeting, does he?" she asked him in worry. Ethan shook his head and roll his eyes. So, his father didn't know she actually left to find him. What a shook.

"You should be happy I still have my love for you, mom." Ethan told her and was going to the door, but she tried to stop him.

"How are your siblings?" she asked, but he ignored her and left. He took his phone and call his father. He didn't answer, but Ororo was fast to pick up.

" _Ethan, hi! Everything as it should?"_

"Yes, how is it with you guys?"

" _Quite a mess, Evan is everywhere with his camera. Other than that, fine. The girls seem to get closer as does the boys and the whole team. Can I leave a message to your father?"_

"No, it's fine. I just wanted to know how everything was."

" _They are all happy for now, but I think Logan want to send them to a training camp."_

"That's sound fun." Ethan said and laugh. "I will have to go again, but say hi from me, will you?"

" _Of course, see you soon."_ Ethan hang up and drive back to the forest.


	10. Chapter 9: Fire and Wind

Chapter 9: Fire and Wind

Emma walk back and forth in the living room as Ethan had told her he met his mother in the town. She didn't like it; having someone Ethan knew so close.

"You sure she didn't follow you?" she asked him for like the ten time. Ethan roll his eyes and walk to the kitchen.

"I'm sure, plus you should be able to feel if she is here, shouldn't you?" Ethan ask her and start making food. Emma nodded but start to walk back and forth again. She had change to a pair normal blue jeans and a white top. Ethan like the look, her hair in a ponytail was also fitting, but he didn't like it. It was nicer released over her shoulders.

"What are you doing?" She suddenly asked and walk over to see him making dinner.

"Well," he said and treated for some ingredients, "you look busy with walking back and forth and I want food tonight." Emma just shook her head and sigh. She let Ethan keep do food and walk to one of the other rooms, her office. "What are you actually doing? For work?"

"I'm helping a friend."

"With?" Ethan ask and put the food at the table.

"None of your concern." she answer. "I just took Summer holiday earlier and decided to keep helping this friend."

"Summer holiday?" Ethan ask. "You mean like school holiday? You work at a school?"

"I might be having a small school for some persons."

"You must be kidding with me." she look up at him.

"Sorry?"

"Don't tell me you are having a school for humans. How can you stand that?" he aske her.

"I don't!" she answered. "If you now so interested to know, it's a school for mutant girls." she told him and shut the computer down. She sat down at the table and start to eat, not waiting for him to join her.

"You mean to tell me you have a school for mutant and girls only, plus my father doesn't know about it?"

"Charles Xavier isn't the smartest person on earth. I have my own way to do things and the school isn't that big. Just a class with five girls from this town." she said. Ethan raise an eyebrow. "What?"

"Emma Frost has a school for girl Mutants!" Ethan yell. "Soon everyone will grow a tail."

"You don't believe me?" she asked.

"Just hard to believe, Emma Frost being a teacher."

"You don't know me." she stated. Ethan struggle his shoulders.

"Just a feeling." he answer her and she look at him a bit weird. "What?" it was his time to ask.

"Nothing, just… nice to have someone here."

"Yeah, it seems to become easy lonely here." Ethan stated and sat down to start eating.

"Remember, we only have four doors left." _Emma told him as they saw a small Ethan come running with Jean after him. They were in the danger room, but Scott wasn't with them and it wasn't against the danger room, they was training against each other. Ethan all using his fire powers and Jean her telekinesis and let things they had put in the room flew against him. There were small boxes, lamps and all small things they had found to make it more interesting._

" _Come on Jean!" Ethan call and burn down one of the pillows she had thrown at him. "A pillow won't help you!" he called and keep running while shooting fireballs at her. She blocked them with her powers and flew up in the air. She smiled._

" _Running won't help you either." she told him and he start to come above the ground so he couldn't run. Ethan smirk at her._

" _You want to play in the air?" he asked and start to use his air powers to manipulate it and fly against her. Jean wasn't ready so he knocked them both down to the ground again. "Give up?" Ethan ask as he start to tickle her. She screamed for help but no one came to her rescue. "Just say the world!" Ethan told her._

" _Never!" she got out thought the laugh. She than push him with her powers so he flew back and hit the wall. "Oh my, Ethan?" she yelled and run over to him. He didn't move and she was on her way to get help when he scared her._

" _BOO!"_

" _Idiot!" she yelled. "Don't do that!" Ethan laughs and the scene disappear to change._

"You two seem close."

"We are friends." _Ethan said, knowing she would point the fact out that they look like a couple._ "The only reason we actually kiss is because of you opening the doors. I see her more as a sister." _Ethan told her, he was however not sure what they were._

"Does she see you like that as well?" _Emma ask him._

"She kind of has someone, and Scott also has an interest in her." _Ethan told her._ "I have promise to keep her safe, but we are friends, nothing more nothing less." _Emma seem satisfied with that answer as she didn't ask more or comment. Or it was the fact with the next memory getting clear that made her silent._

" _Hey, back off!" a fourteen-year-old Ethan yelled on a group of boys and girls. They stood surround around Jean and Ethan fight to get thought. He made it and then stood protecting between the gang and Jean. "I said back off or I might set you on fire!"_

" _Ethan…" Jean whisper and the gang laugh. Ethan however didn't like their laugh and in the next second he had allowed his hands bee set on fire and the kids scream and backed in fear. The leader, Luke, backed and try to talk nice to him._

" _Man, we were only talking to her." he try._

" _Yeah, sure and I'm only going to show you what burn skin feels like." Ethan said and was ready to hit him, but he was stop as the weather change and the boy run. Storm and his father came up to him and Jean but he didn't see them and yelled after the boy. "Be happy I'm not killing you, today!"_

" _Ethan?" Charles said and he turn around._

" _Oh, hi dad, Ororo." he greeted them._

" _What do you think you were doing?" Ororo ask and the weather made a thunder._

" _I was playing?" the boy answer and the memory faded. Emma and Ethan was in the white endless room again._

"Wow, you were a good kid in school." _Emma comment._ "You know which door?" _He nodded._

"I do." _he said and look up at her._

"Can I ask what happened after this?"

"Not much. My father gave me outdoor prohibition for a week and he change the kids memory. The leader, Luke, went to France a year after this." _Emma nodded and waited for him to tell her which door, but he didn't. He just stood there and look at her._

"What?"

"If I tell you which door and you close it, will I still be able to manipulate fire or the other elements?" _Emma look at him a bit sad, but she had a kind smile on her face._

"Ethan, all this elements powers, especially fire is only your illumination power that makes it look so real, with other words, your illusion becomes the truth in everyone's eyes."

"What do you mean with that?"

"It's a yes, you will be able to do this and much more when the doors are closed. It's only your fantasy that's put the lines. However, it will take training." _Ethan nodded in understanding._

"Fire. I have always had Jean as a reason to fight. I guess she is the fire in me." _he told her and he felt the door close as it jumped in his heart, more painful this time._

"We are getting closer, three more doors. Do you want to rest or shall we try take one more?"

"We take one more and when skip it tomorrow?" _Emma nodded and the white room disappeared._

 _It was dark. Nothing was to be seen and Ethan was unsure about what happened. He was on his way to call for Emma when he started to hear voices. It was first whisper, then it became louder and louder._

" _HE is not yours to take."_

" _He needs a real home, not this school of yours!"_

" _And that will_ he _do with our son? It's him you are taking him to, isn't it?"_

" _He will understand this power the boy holds. It's not only illusion, it's like he make it come real. What if he illusion someone die, will that happen?" Ethan could take out the voice to be a dialog between a male and woman. His dad and mom._

" _He cannot come in the hands of Erik!" the voices slowly died down until they were gone. It was still dark and Ethan look around._

"Emma?" _he called._

"I'm here." _she said and took his hand, making him spin around to find her there. They were in the endless room again._

"Did you hear that?" _he asked and she nodded. The scene change again before he got the chance to talk. It was still black dark, but he could somehow see Emma by his side and two other persons. His father and mother. His father on his left and his mother on his right. He took a step forward but Emma stop him._

" _Ethan, we will find the perfect home, my friend Erik will help us. It's the best for you." his mother suddenly spoke. Ethan could feel his heart beat faster and harder._

" _Ethan, the X-Men needs you. A model to what we are offering. Peace between humans and mutants. This will be best for you." his father said._

" _Humans can't be trusted, they will never accept us, see what they did to Wolverine."_

" _Those was just a small among of everyone on earth. They are those that will accept us."_

" _Humans are to kill."_

"Stop talking!" _Ethan yelled._

" _Humans are to believe in."_

"Humans will never learn."

" _Mutants will never be able to live with humans."_

"Stop!"

" _We are the humanities hope, the X-Men are to help humans and mutants."_

" _You are not an X-Man, you are my son."_

"Stop talking!" _Ethan fell to his knees and scream. It felt like someone had shot him. Like he didn't want to be there and he wanted to kill himself to get the pain away. Emma run to sit down in front of him._

"Ethan, it's just memories your mind is trying to mix up. You know which door it is, tell me!" _she said but Ethan just shook his head and keep scream for them to shot up._ "Ethan, you must." _Emma try and took his hands to get them away from his head._ "Ethan, you can make us stay here forever, we need to get out, focus. Ethan!" _when he didn't respond Emma did the only thing coming to her mind. She kissed him. He went silent as their lips crossed and the place change back to the white endless room as the place that had felt like an earthquake now was peaceful. Emma broke the kiss and Ethan was speechless. He had kissed people before. One or two girlfriends that didn't last longer than a day, and the ones Jean had given him. But it was nothing like this. If it was because they were in his mind or it just was good, he didn't know._

"I was air, I had nothing to say and just flew with the _wind."_

Ethan opened his eyes and look up at Emma. He had not notice the small jump in his chest, but knew he had come as it felt like something had come away, like it was lightening. He was sweating, he was warm, but he didn't think about it as his thoughts and eyes had lock with Emma's eyes. It was like time had stopped. They were like that for a minute. No one said anything, no one moved until they both moved to cross their lips together. Emma crawl around, not letting their lips separated, to sit on his stomach and get a better angle to for the kiss. It wasn't soft and easy as it had been before, it was rough and hungry. Ethan pull her back a bit so he could sit up and kiss her neck. It felt so right, he thought. Like this was right.

"Ethan… bed?" Emma whisper in his ear and he didn't respond but answer with lifting her up and stand to walk to her bedroom.


	11. Chapter 10: Power and Betray

Chapter 10: Power and Betray

When Ethan wake up he found himself not alone in Emma's bedroom. He had almost expected to wake up alone, but there she was. Lying close to him. He could still not put his finger on it. Why did this feel so right? Being this close to her. With that happened the night. It was all good. Better than good. Maybe too good.

"Stop thinking so much." Ethan hear Emma whisper as she moved closer to him.

"You up?" he asks. "I plan on sneaking out and make breakfast, but now when you up that plan is destroyed." Emma smile and look up at him.

"We can pretend I'm not awake so you can go and make breakfast." Ethan laugh and kiss her forehead before leaving the bedroom and go to the kitchen. Surprisingly he heard his phone call and walk over to look at the scene. It was an anonymous call.

"Emma?" Ethan called. "I thought I didn't have any coverage from your house."

"They must be close if they can find your phone." Emma answer and came out to the living room. She had the blanket around her and look at the number. "Try to answer." she told him and he did. He answers the phone.

 _"_ _Ethan?"_

"Mom?" Ethan ask. "What do you want?"

 _"_ _Tell you it would be smart to come with me home to Bayville."_ Emma look at him as she could hear the voice of his mother in the other line.

"Why would I?"

 _"_ _You don't need to come with me, but it's smart to go back home before anything happens."_ Ethan was on his way to ask what she meant but she had already hang up before he got the chance to say anything.

"What?" Emma asked as he watch the phone.

"I will be back." Ethan told her and didn't stop to take a jacket before going out to get a better coverage. As he found the spot he uses to call from her hit the buttons fast and call. It too time before anyone answer. To long he thought and was on his way to hang up when someone eventually answer. "Hallo? Dad?"

 _"_ _Nathan?"_ It was Scott.

"Cyke, where is my father?"

 _"_ _He is with Kurt and Rogue. How are you man? Where are you?"_

"No time to chat Scott, just tell me if everything is alright at the institute."

 _"_ _Yes, why?"_

"Nothing, tell my father I said hi." Ethan hang up and swear. He got back to the house there Emma was sitting in the couch, still only the blanket around her. She stood up as he came in and walk over to him.

"Hey, is everything okay?" she asks and Ethan nodded.

"Can we start with the two last doors now?" he asks and lay the phone on the dinner table. "I will have to get back, my mother seems to tell me something was happening. They were okay, but I'm afraid it might not be forever." He turns to meet her eyes. "I have to go back as fast as I can."

"I understand, but you know you need to train."

"So, I will come back when I know they are safe, I promise." Emma laugh and smile at him.

"You really start to sound like you have a heart."

"Emma…"

"I was joking, Ethan." She kisses him by his cheek. "I will help you, just let me change and try to relax so you are ready when I'm finish." He nodded and she walk to her room to change.

 _Ethan and Emma appeared in his memory when he was maybe eleven or something. He was in school and people was walking around him. The small Ethan look angry and dislike at everyone. The scene then change to the danger room and he was training with Scott and Jean. Ethan was not the best to work in team as he only run around and didn't try to help the others stay alive from the gun who shot color balls. After the training his father came in and they start to talk._

 _"_ _Ethan, you must learn to work in a Team." he told him._

 _"_ _I told you father, I'm not an X-Men. Why do you keep try to make me fight with them?"_

 _"_ _Coz you need to learn that you can't do everything on your own. You can't control everything." the scene change to the white endless room._

"That was fast." _Emma stated._

"We have two doors, this must have been my door to illusion." _Ethan said. Emma could feel he was stressed, but didn't say anything as she took away the door and then let the next memory come._

 _The room was black, but he saw his parents, Emma and Jean. They were all looking at him. Waiting for him to do something._

 _"_ _You are a coward." Jean said._

 _"_ _You are running from yourself." Scott appeared behind her._

 _"_ _You right, you are not an X-Men." his father said. "X-Men doesn't give up."_

 _"_ _You not my son, you are too scared to be of my blood." his mother said._

"Ethan?" _Emma ask him worried._

"It's just an illusion." _he said, telling her he was okay. He had already had this once and he would not break down a second time._ "The door must be my door for blood lust and my sympathetic."

"Why? If it wasn't your last door, why would you guess on that?" _Emma ask him._

"Because they are all right. I'm a coward, I'm running from myself and I have already told you that I'm not my mother and not my father, an X-Men."

"Why do you run? What do you run from?"

"Lost," _Ethan told her._ "I run because I'm afraid and I need power to do what I want. I need to use my powers to control and make other's fear me. Power is the way to the top."

"And you say you not your mother?" _Emma ask, hearing how he spoke._

"I don't kill, I don't believe humans never will accept us. Human, mutants. We are all the same." _He answers, knowing she was doubting his words._ "I don't believe for what my father think. I don't wish to become like my mother. But I know I need power to survive, and you do it too."

"I do, shall we take our leave. You must go home as you said-" _Emma was cut off by the memory changing. They were back in the snow forest. Seeing small Ethan and Emma being together. Their younger self laying in the snow and watching the sky. They had become a little older and Ethan, that lived in the town close by, had start seeing her more often._

"Emma, where are we?"

"One of your memories. But I don't understand, we have close the doors. You should be fine and we should get back." _she tried to take them out, but nothing happened. Ethan keep looking at the kids and try to remember the memory, there was only one problem._

"We got a problem." _Ethan said and look around._

"What?" _Emma ask, not very interested._

"I don't remember this…" _Ethan walk closer to the kids and watch as they pointed at different clouds._

 _"_ _There is a rabbit!" Emma said._

 _"_ _No, it's a dragon!" Ethan told her._

 _"_ _You are blind!"_

 _"_ _And you have to little imagine." they both suddenly start to laugh and the grown-up Ethan smile. It was a nice moment they had, but he couldn't remember this._

"Ethan, we should go." _Emma said behind him, but he didn't listen and walk a little closer. The kids were laughing and look at each other._

 _"_ _Promise we always be friends?" Ethan ask Emma._

 _"_ _Just friends?" Emma ask him. "You are my best friend now." she said and hit him nice on the shoulder._

 _"_ _Always and forever." Ethan whisper and Emma repeated his words with her own. The scene change and the snow weather had changed to a bit warmer forest. It was the same forest just the snow was gone. The grown-up Ethan look around and found his smaller him chasing his new best friend. He might had been seven to ten years. They both laugh and had fun. It was however still something Ethan didn't remember._

 _"_ _Ethan," Emma said as he had catch her and fell them both so she lay over him. "I love you." she whispered._

 _"_ _What do you mean?" Ethan ask._

"Ethan, we are leaving now!" _Emma took his hand but he didn't move._

 _"_ _I mean that you are everything for me." the smaller Emma whisper to Ethan. "You have change my world, Ethan. I want to always be there for you, and always see the smile of yours. Would you like to have a life with me forever? As friends, siblings and everything you can be between two friends?" the small Ethan, seem to understand her words bend up and kiss her lips. He didn't know that the kiss meant, but he had learn a kiss meant a lot._

 _"_ _You are my everything too, Emma."_

"Ethan?" _the grown-up Emma ask as the scene change._

"Why does I not remember this?"

"We have to go, we have close the doors." _Emma told him._

"No, I want to know why I don't remember this. We might have been kids but this is just weird. I look like ten or something in this, but I don't remember being here. I left when I was three four years. Why am I here at the age of ten?" _Ethan turn and look around. They were on a beach, one he recognized from Bayville._

"Ethan, it's complicated, can we leave now?" _Ethan ignore her and watch himself, in the age of eleven it looks like coming walking. From school on his way home as he had the school bag with him. But he didn't see Scott. He didn't remember this at all. But he just watches as his Eleven-Ethan walk down to the beach and sat beside a girl. It was Emma._

 _"_ _Hi, how was school?" she asks him._

 _"_ _The same as usually. I can't stay long; my father will wonder where I am."_

 _"_ _Ethan, I need to tell you something." Emma stop him in his movement. "I have to go back." she said. "I have to go home."_

 _"_ _Why? Don't you have it good there you live now?"_

 _"_ _I do, but my parents want to leave and I can't give them a reason to stay as we are a secret."_

 _"_ _Okay, but you will come back, won't you? Always and Forever?"_

 _"_ _No, Ethan. I don't think so." Emma told him and kiss his cheek. "I'm sorry but I will have to take your memory of us too." he didn't get the chance to fight as she had already start to make the memories fade. "I promise, we will meet again. You are going to find me, but I'm afraid you won't be much for a like of me. But you will find me, and we will be friends again. Until then; live, be happy and don't lose more than you need to get what you want." she whispered in his ear and then she walks away and left him. The small Ethan got his consciousness back and look around like in wonder of that he did there, before he starts to walk away._

Ethan opened his eye and didn't turn to look at Emma. She had meant a lot for him, but… she had taken that away. What was he supposed to do? The memories, they were there. He could just not get any feelings forward. He couldn't put a finger on them.

"Ethan?" he stood up and walk out. Emma run after him. "Ethan, I'm sorry I didn't tell you. It wasn't meant to happen!"

"Did you plan on telling me?" Ethan turn around to face her, being inches from her. "Did you plan on keeping that promise that we will be friends again, or more? I don't know what to say!"

"When don't say anything!" Emma said and place her hand on his cheeks. "Let me know what you feel, let me read-"

"No!" Ethan yelled. "I need to know why! I need to know what _this_ is!"

"It's love, Ethan!" Emma said. "I love you…" she whispered. "I have always loved you and will always do. You are my everything, always and forever."

"You have no right to say those words. First off, I can barely look at you. Second, I may have my memory of those moment we saw. But it's still empty."

"No, you love me to or else we would not have spent the night together. I know you Ethan, I know how you really feel."

"Then you know more than I do. I need to go." he said and left her. He didn't plan on turning around to get his stuff. He just got away from her, from the forest.

* * *

 **A/N: I hope the gramma was better, and that you guys like this story. Just for those who wonder and to explain my bad english. English isn't my first language. Anyway, I am trying and I will go back when I have reach Ch. 13 (The final Chapter of This Story)**

 **I give you my love**


	12. Chapter 11: Return for Now

Chapter 11: Return for Now

It had been two days and Ethan had at least reach his father's institute. He didn't saw anyone here and he had not the power to feel others like him, so he did what he did beast. He sneaked in and try to avoid people. Outside was no problem. It was like six in the morning and they would either be in sleep or eat breakfast. As he enters the house he was careful to not smash the door. He could hear the others in the and run to the stairs and up. As he reaches the top, Jean and Kitty came walking. He hid behind the wall and press himself against it as much he could and he saw the girls walk past him. He breath out and was on his way to keep go, but Rogue came like a shot and he was lucky he hadn't move as she run past him.

 _"_ _Ethan, I know you are here."_ is father's voice echoed in his head. _"They are all in the dinner room, come and see me in my office are your kind."_ Ethan took a deep breath before going to his father's office. He entered and saw his dad sitting behind his desk. "You look well." his father said as he walks in and sat down in the chair opposite to his father.

"The doors are destroyed, dad." he told him. "But that's not why I'm here." Charles look at him. "Mom came and visit me, she found me."

"So, she knew where you were? She told me she didn't know."

"That's not the point, dad. The point is that you apparently told her and if I know you right it was to ask if she knew where I was. With other words, you wanted to find me even if I ask you not to. I said I was going to come back, and here I am."

"I'm sorry, Ethan. But I was only worried about you. It's after all my job, as your father."

"Well, I didn't come back to complain about this." Ethan said. "I think mom gave me a warning. To come home before anything happened."

"Did she tell you what?"

"If she did, do you think I would sit in this chair right now?" Ethan asked, not being very serious.

"Hm, if we don't know what it is, we will have to wait until we do." Charles drove around the table to lay a hand on Ethan's shoulder. "For now, I want to know more about you. How are you and what does this means for you now? With the doors gone? How did your friend help you?"

"Yeah," Ethan said unsure what to answer. "She had that kind of power to take us into my mind like Jean does, the only difference is that she was strong enough to destroy them, I promise not to tell anyone more. However, with the doors gone I am stuck on page one with my powers. Other than that, I'm fine. Jean won't need to kiss me every second." he joked but his father didn't laugh, he had a smile however.

"Good to know, but what do you mean with page one?"

"My powers were bond to the doors. With the doors gone I will have to let my powers develop on its own. Meaning I'm like the others. Let my powers evolve. I do seem to have control over my illusion, but I haven't try the other things as I was in a hurry home. The locate other mutants are gone and I think my bond with Jean is gone to, I can't feel her like I did before."

"It doesn't sound bad, we will only have to take it easy and train. I'm not done with the questions if you think that. But I trust you and won't ask, okay?"

"Thanks, dad."

"Professor?" the door opened and Jean enter the room. She stops as she saw Ethan. "I was just going to tell you we leave for school." she said quick and close the door again. Ethan look at his father who nodded him to leave. He was whispered some thanks and run after Jean.

"Jean!" Ethan call and catch her in the hall stairs.

"Leave me alone, Ethan!"

"Jean, I'm sorry I just left. I should have told you."

"Damn right you should have." she said and stop to turn around and face him. "Do you know how worried I have been? I try to call but your phone was of reach and when you had call your dad, Ororo and Scott just said hi from you. No explanation to where you went or why."

"Jean, listen to me. I'm sorry, but I had to." Ethan said. "I had to do something with the doors, it made me crazy."

"Well, congrats, you destroyed them and the bond we have. I can feel it fade." she starts to walk again but Ethan run after and took her by her wrist.

"Why are you so angry then? I won't be in desperate need of you and you won't have to worry about me every second now."

"Sometimes you really are an idiot, Ethan. I'm happy the doors are destroyed. What I don't like is that you disappeared without a word, to your _friend_ and come home first now like nothing." Ethan was silent. He didn't know what to say. Sorry wouldn't cover this, but what else could he said. He didn't have to worry about it anyway as Jean get off his grip and walk to the door. "I have school, see you later." she said and close the door behind her. Ethan could see Scott thought the doors, waiting for Jean.

Ethan was confused. He didn't understand anything. Why was Jean angry at him? Sure, he had left without telling her, but it had been for both. He had stop himself for perhaps an early death, which she didn't knew about he thought. But she knew they wouldn't be able to do that they did forever. Kissing while she had Duncan… why did she even did that without problem? Shouldn't she have been more… hesitating. Or maybe it was just in his head and Jean didn't see it to be cheating. After all, technology, Jean and Duncan isn't _official_ a couple, just on their way, or closer or…

Ethan shook his head as he didn't feel to think much more about it. He instead tries to focus on the target in front of him. He focusses on his right hand and on fire. The warmth and feeling to let his hand become covered in flam. It was a relief. It was to let all anger, all confused, feelings from his chest and to his hand. To energy and fire. When he felt it in his hand he throws, like a baseball, the fireball that had appeared in his hand. Although, when he saw it, it was very small and it hit the target, but instead of burning it down like usually it just jumped back down to the ground there it died.

"That looked week."

"What do you want, Logan?" Ethan ask as he notice him walk over.

"I just came back from a little trip," he answered and look at the unscratched target, "when did you come back and what happened with your so powerful fire?" Ethan snorted but grinded after. He focusses on Logan and let him see the room start to burn and let him smell ash, feel the warmth, the air get harder to breath. When suddenly the room was all drain in water and he was swimming for his life until he came down on his knees. Then Ethan let the illusion disappeared.

"Don't make me angry Logan, I can still make you feel like you are dying repeatedly." Ethan warned him.

"You don't say." Logan muttered, making Ethan's grin get bigger. He stood up. "Decided which side you are on too while you were gone?" Ethan didn't answer, but his grin disappeared, making Logan understand he hadn't. Or he just hadn't thought about it at all. "You should at least talk to elf. I think you two have something in comment."

"What do you mean with that, Logan?"

"Your father didn't tell you? While you were gone, Rogue got flashbacks of Mystique's past. Turn out she is Kurt's mother. Meaning-"

"I know what that means, thank you!" Ethan yelled. "Does anyone know my relationship with her?"

"No, Chuck wanted to wait until you were back."

"Don't tell anyone, or I will see if I actually can kill you with tricking your mind." Ethan threatened and left the danger room. He walks to his father's office for the second time this day, but this time he wasn't there. He was in the dinner room with Ororo and a lot of paper. Letters and photographs.

"Ethan, something wrong?" Charles ask as Ethan came over.

"Are you planning to tell me that Kurt is my half-brother?"

"Ororo, could you please?" Charles ask her. She nodded. She knew about Mystique, but Charles thought it was best to talk to Ethan alone about this. "Did Logan told you?" he asks when Ororo had left the room. Ethan cross his arms over his chest.

"He might have mention it after I try my illusion powers on him. Turns out they seem more… stronger."

"I plan on telling you, but not today. You have just come back and all."

"I don't care, just don't tell anyone about my relationship with her." Ethan demanded.

"You are keeping a big secret, Ethan. They won't be able to trust you if you keep secrets." Ethan laugh cold and emotionless.

"You really accusing me from keeping secrets? You were the one not telling them about the principal being Mystique. I bet you haven't told them about Erik, or should I call him Magneto?" Ethan stated. "I might keep one secret about my mother, but that doesn't change anything."

"Doesn't it?" Charles ask. "I think it does."

"Yeah, it only makes them stop trusting me like Logan."

"Logan doesn't trust you because he knows you haven't pick to become an X-Men and he is afraid that you will turn to Ravens side. Another secret Ethan, they don't know you still not in the team. You and Jean might have had a close relationship, but how much does she really knows about you?"

"She knows enough." Ethan answer and let his hands fall to his side as he starts to leave.

"Does she?" Charles stop him. "You should tell her everything. Your feelings."

"What are you talking about?" Ethan ask him.

"Don't you think I know you like her? More than a friend. You won't just accept the fact that she means more than me or your mother. I can feel something happened to you that change you when you were gone. But you haven't change with Jean, you love her."

"I don't, we are friends."

"How long will you try to pretend that?" Charles ask him. "I have seen you two together, I have seen you grow up with her." Still you knew nothing about Emma, Ethan thought. "How long will you pretend? Until you make it the truth?"

"You have no idea what you are talking about!"

"I do, Ethan. Trust me, I do." Ethan tense but didn't do anything. He just left his father there and walk out to the kitchen. Ororo was there, looking at him, follow him with her eyes. Ethan wanted to yell and ask what she was staring at, but he knew better and he got the sight of a picture on the kitchen table.

"Who is Alex Masters?" Ethan read on the paper.

"Charles found him in Hawaii, a mutant. We think he is Scott's brother."

"Alex Summers?" Ethan ask. "Didn't he die in the crash?"

"I and your father has been working with it a bit, turn out he was adopted because they didn't thought Scott would make it." Ethan only nodded to show he got the information. "Everything with you and your father?"

"As good as it can be." Ethan answer and left. He didn't feel to talk with anyone and decided to take a swim to be ready and try talk to Jean when she came home. He had at least try to talk her of her anger.


	13. Chapter 12: The Cauldron, Part 1

Chapter 12: The Cauldron, Part 1

Ethan was still in the pol as he thinks he heard Scott's car entering the mansion area. As he made his way out of the pole to go in he suddenly heard a scream and when something come flying in the air. He run around to the side of the house just in time to see Jean get drag down in the metal ball, a silver sphere, and disappeared.

"Jean!" He yelled.

"No, I wasn't finish jet!" Ethan notice Todd in the well. He walks over and drag him up.

"What happened?" he demanded to know and Todd only look scared of him as Ethan had start to use is illusion to make fire surrender them, to scare him. "Where did it took Jean?"

"I'm not telling you anything." Ethan throw him on the ground.

"I don't have time for your games, Todd-" Ethan was cut off as Todd try to use his tongue to hit him in the face. He missed but the sludge came in Ethan's fence. "Todd!" he yelled and reach his hand at him. Todd seeing a wall stop and then feeling the gravitation take him was done on his stomach.

"Let me go!" he screams. "I need to get another shot."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Ethan asked as he walk over.

"It's all to prove who is stronger, now let me go!" Ethan was going to ask something then the sludge in his face was annoying and start to make him lose concentration for a moment. At that time, Todd was free and escaped. Ethan got the sludge away.

"Gross!" he complains and look back at the house. Storm was walking in and a cat was waiting outside. "Since when did we have a cat here?" Ethan wonder as he run over. He enters the door and look around. No one was there.

"I don't know why you have chosen to attack me and in truth, I don't much care. But this is my home and you are not welcomed here!" Ethan look up to the second floor and saw steam cover the sight. In the next second Mystique came flying.

"Mom?" he asks and saw Strom come walking down.

"Ethan?" Storm ask. "Do you know why she is here?" he shook his head.

"Todd was just outside and something like-" he was cut off as a similar silver sphere came through the ruff. "Something like that took her." he finished and jumped away to not get hit. It came one more.

"What is this?" Storm ask and one of the sphere opened and took her.

"Storm!" Ethan called and try to run over to her, but the other had taken him.

"No!" Mystique yelled. "You promise not to touch him!" Ethan didn't get the chance to understand that she was talking about as he was in the sphere and everything went black. The sphere was nothing nice. Tubes resembling snakes pressed him to the side as one went around his throat and the others his leagues and wrist. Before he knew it, the sphere opened again, but he wasn't in the hall anymore. And Storm or his mother was nowhere to be seen, but someone else was.

"Ethan!" his father called.

"Dad?" Ethan call and try to take a step as he had fallen out of the sphere, but with his legs tied together and his hands he only ended up on his knees.

"Erik!" Ethan look up as he saw a man levitating in the air. All in a red metal armor and a cape in purple. Ethan understood who he saw. It was Erik Lehnsherr, or as he apparently calls himself, Magneto.

"I can't do that, Charles." Magneto told his old friend. "Mystique has told me a lot about-" he was cut off as he starts to feel someone come through his helm. He looks at Ethan and it told him it didn't work. Looking around fast Ethan saw Sabretooth and use his powers on him. He made him see Logan instead of Magneto and he responded directly with attacking him. "Sabretooth, stop!"

"Your friend doesn't look to like you much." Ethan said and smirked. It however disappeared as the metal tube around his throat tighten. He stops focus as he lost his breath. He falls to his side and Sabretooth had stop try to get to Magneto who was in the air.

"Don't be so reckless, son." Magneto said and let him breath again.

"What do you want?" Charles ask him.

"All I ask for is to you to side with me and not against me." Magneto answer as Ethan focus on breathing.

"Your invitation begs the question; what happen to those who won't come willingly? And what does Ethan do here?" Magneto turn to start walk and Ethan, because of the metal in the tube holding him, start to fly up in the air. The tube around his throat was still tight, but he could at least breath.

"If necessary, sometimes salvation must be force-fed." Magneto explained as the came around a corner and there was three persons in a container of somehow, looking like they was sleeping.

"Jean?" Ethan whispered as he saw her in the middle between Rogue and Storm. Charles look terrified as he first saw them. "Let them out!"

"I will, then they are ready to become their true forms."

"Magneto, you haven't saved them, you have abducted them!" Charles yelled at him. Ethan notice Lance and Fred together with the speedster, Pietro, enter to stand beside Magneto.

"A certain amount of persuasion may still be needed I will admit, but for every unbeliever there are a new convert." as he said that the doors opened.

"Scott?" Charles asked and saw him. "Scott, I don't understand." He was all shocked.

"Professor, wait. We are only here to listen." Scott told him.

"And they," Ethan asked. "Are they here to listen as well? What about me? Stuck?" he nodded his head to Rogue, Jean and Storm.

"Hey, what is this!" Scott turn to Magneto.

"Simply a safety guard, not everyone is as willing as you to listen to new changes."

"Let them out, now!" Scott yelled and was on his way to take his glasses of. Lance walk to stand between them, but Magneto only put him friendly to the side.

"I will, we just need to proceed cautiously, trust me. they are perfectly safe." he told him. Ethan saw his father putting his hand to his head and start to mind speak to Scott as his face changed. Magneto, notice it as well and turn to Charles. He made his wheelchair turn and go into a fourth container and become sedated. Ethan reacted and turn to Scott and the others. Magneto understood that he was going to do and before he knew it a new tube covered his eyes.

"Looks like you need to see your target to focus, don't you?" Magneto spoke.

"Basters! I will kill you."

"That will have to wait." Ethan, felt he was moved and he was taken to another room.

After a time, Ethan heard the door opened and footsteps. He was still stuck with the tube around his eyes and the one around his throat. However, he was now in a chair and his hands was tied behind his hands. He didn't need to see to guess it was Magneto as the metal of his armor sounded very clear.

"What do you want, Magneto?" Ethan asked.

"I want to know more about your powers." he answered. I'm sorry for the blindfolded, but I wouldn't want to take any risk, even with my helm."

"Coward."

"I'm just too close to risk anything." Magneto responded. "Now, we have figured out you can make people see what you want them to and you need to see your target. What more can you do? Your mother told me about elements?"

"My mom doesn't know anything about me."

"Well, that's not true. She knows you better than you think." Ethan grown. "Didn't she tell you last time she saw you? She has been there all the time. You grow up without knowing she was watching you, Ethan."

"Well, I don't really care."

"She wasn't kidding with you being cold hearted." Magneto stated.

"I'm not, I just don't see the point in being nice to you."

"We are not that different you know. We are very much alike."

"Somehow I doubt that." Ethan told him.

"You haven't join the X-Men." Magneto stated. "You are still doubting about humans and mutants living in peace together. You want to know it takes power to get others to follow you. You do what's needed to get what you want, example leaving everyone just because you thought you could close the doors."

"I successes, did I not?" Ethan cut him off.

"You did, but you were not sure at the time, but still you left your friends." Magneto persisted. "We are more alike than you think. Think what we can do together. We could teach those humans what we exist and are to rule! We could rule the world and have all the power." Ethan didn't respond as he didn't know what to say. "Your mother told me something you had said once," Magneto added. " _It's about power and survive. Power is to survive and survive is to have power. Without one of them you are domed. The world is to take the weak away and the stronger to rule._ Wasn't that some spirit?" Ethan didn't answer. He remembers when he had said that. It wasn't long before Nightcrawler and the others had joined. He had been with his father, talking about his bond with Jean and his powers. They had start talk about Ethan training to much and not stop to have fun more than with Jean. Not stop to get friends other than Jean and Scott, not that he counted Scott as a good friend. They might have lived together for a long time, but that didn't meet they would be counted as friends.

"I said that to my father month ago." Ethan whisper. "How did my mother knew that?"

"Like I told you, she has been around you all the time."

"Impossible, I would be able to feel her." Ethan regretted his words the second they left his mouth.

"Feel? Yes, Mystique mention something about you feeling other's present. However, she seems to found a way around that." Ethan grown again as he understood.

"Spies."

"Your life must be quite interesting, Ethan." Magneto said. "Your dad wants you to join him and give the human and mutant a chance. Your mother is against it and would easy be able to kill someone. They are like black and white who once was close friends. Or more than that. You are all gray. Not knowing what you want, what you believe and you have a sweet girlfriend who are on your father's side, but at the same time others who don't trust you like Wolverine are at your father's side as well. Complicated."

"She isn't my girlfriend." Ethan muttered and smirked. "She kind of hates me right now."

"Why does you smile that much?" Magneto asked him. "Something funny with the fact you don't seem to be able to get the girl your parents seem to know you have feelings about?" Ethan let a laugh slip out. He still had his smirk on his face.

"It's funny how you keep talking like I would join you." he answers. "You right, I'm not an X-Men, maybe I never will become. But I'm not on my mom's team or yours either. I will stand with my family, and they just happened to be more at the X-Men side."

"You are making a big mistake thinking they will win this. In just some minutes, Scott and his brother will enter my Genetic Enhancers. I build it with the help of Gem of Cyttorak. With the help of my device the radiation with the gem can enhance the powers of any mutant exposed to it, to the point of causing their bodies to change to adjust to the enhancement and power boost. It will make us, the mutant, able to control our powers." Ethan should have stared at him speechless if he had been able to see, instead he just was silent for a while before responding.

"You are sick."

"I'm the future for our kind."

"Which future?" Ethan asked him. "The one you rule? What kind of life would that be? I would rather die than follow under your-" Ethan stop talk as it become hard for him to breath. He careful tried to take each breath deep in case the tube would become tighter and top him from get air at all.

"I would watch the mouth of yours." Magneto told him. "I don't need you alive, but you are a great way to reach Charles on. He would do anything to protect you, wouldn't he?" the tube let go a bit, but it was still tighter than it had been before. "I will get you when the show starts, but I expect you to behave, or I might cover your eyes again. I will cover your mouth, that's no doubt." Ethan heard Magneto leave and it was a relief as he took each breath deeper and longer. One thing was for sure, he would make Erik Lehnsherr feel pain.


	14. Chapter 13: The Cauldron, Part 2

Chapter 13: The Cauldron, Part 2

The time went by and Ethan didn't know how long he was in the room, but Magneto came in the end and he felt himself fly with the chair. The blindfolded went off but it covered his mouth instead.

"Remember, if you try something, you might put your friends in danger." Magneto remained him on the way. Ethan couldn't answer but was sure to remember that even if he wanted to just kill the guy.

Magneto put his chair beside there his father was in his sleep in that container. He watched as Scott and his brother Alex talked about something close to I don't do it without you and brother love. It only made Ethan angry to see them so calm. Didn't Scott notice that Jean, his father, Rogue and Storm was in sleep for a reason? Maybe they didn't want this, what in hell did he think Ethan wanted to know. This was just sick. He would at least understand there was a reason for Ethan to be tied and having a tube that could kill him on a second or did he think he had let Magneto do this? Ethan just become more and more angry, but he keeps calm as best he could. He would at least not put Jean, his father or the others at the death line.

"So, you expect us to just trust you and walk in there?" Scott ask, pointing on what Magneto had called his Genetic Enhancers. "You do it."

"I have already done it, I have reach my full potential, but if you want a demonstration. Sabretooth!" Ethan look as Sabretooth grown but enter the devicer. It took a while, but when he came out he was more a beast than human. "Now it's your turn boys." Scott and Alex look at each other before nodding and walk over to the devicer. As they enter Magneto let Rogue, Jean, Storm and Charles wake up. Ethan only heard Rogue and Jean scream at the same time he saw his father try to communicate though mind.

"Scott! No!" Scott turn but it was too late, the door closed.

"To late Charles, they are mine."

 _"_ _Jean?"_ Ethan thought. He knew they wouldn't be able to communicate like before, but she would be able to read his mind. He understood she could as she turns to look at him. _"Blink two times if you are okay, one if you are hurt somehow."_ Ethan look at her, waiting, and she finally blinked. Two times. Ethan let out a sigh of relief that she wasn't hurt as the doors to the devicer opened again and Scott came out with Alex. They both had gray hair, looking more adult.

"The pain, it's gone." Alex said as he moved his fingers.

"It is because you have developed." Magneto told him and lay a hand on his shoulder. "You will be called Havok." He turns to Scott. "Take of your glasses, show us the color of your eyes." Scott did as he was told and Ethan was almost sure he would blast the place up, but he didn't. All that appeared was his eyes, green. Not the red optic blasts.

"We have visitors." Sabretooth said and got Magnetos attention.

"Let's see who it can be." he said and the ruff opened and show something Ethan recognized. The X-Velocity. Not containing any metal Ethan understood his father had reach Logan or someone. "It's nonmetal." Magneto look at Charles who just raised his shoulders like he had no clue, but his face said the total opposite. "Cyclops, Havok, take care of our guests." Ethan look as they walk away. They were like under control of Magneto it seems. "You should learn not to play with me when I have the advantage." Ethan wasn't ready and felt the tubes holding his legs and hands get lease as well as the one over his mouth, but the one around his throat tightened. It was like it moved and become tighter and tighter, making it harder every time to breathe.

"Ethan!" Jean yelled and hit the container she was in.

"Magneto don't do this!" Charles called. "He has nothing to do with this!" Ethan fell on his knees as he tries to get air.

"No?" Magneto asked. "He is yours and Mystique's son, I would say he has everything to do with this. He is the first mutant of two mutant parents I have meet. Don't you see how powerful he is?" Jean become a little shocked as the rest who didn't knew Mystique was his mother, meaning everyone but Magneto, Charles and Ethan himself, thought he didn't really listen and thought with the tube. "He might be the future." As Magneto finish his line Scott and Havok came running, the X-Velocity coming after them. They dodged away as it stopped and landed under a lot of rocks. Making Rogue and Jean yell again, Storm with them this time.

"Knock, knock." Mystique came out and said.

"Mystique! You never could take _no_ as an answer!" Magneto said as she attacked him. Wolverine run over to get Rogue, Jean, Storm and Charles out of their containers.

"Well, I will have to save my son from you." Mystique stated. "You broke your promise not to touch him." Nightcrawler looked shocked and didn't understand a thing, but he let it go as he start fight Blob. Shadowcat and Spyke was in the room as well and was going at Avalanche. Wolverine was attacked by Sabretooth, but he had free the others.

"Jean, Ethan!" Charles called as Storm and Rogue joined the fight with the X-Men. "Help me with Scott and Alex after!"

"On it!" Jean told him, already on her way over to Ethan. It had stopped to move, but is was tight. "We have a lot to talk about later." Jean muttered as she uses her powers to get the tube away. First it was like nothing happened, but then suddenly it was off and Ethan took deep and faster breath to get air. "You okay?" he nodded.

"Go, help dad with the Summers."

"Don't go after this, we have a lot to talk about." Jean stood up but Ethan stop her with taking her hand and stop her.

"Wait," he said and out of nowhere he just felt like he had to kiss her. She was shocked but didn't had the chance to do anything as he already had pulled back. "Don't die." he told her and smile. She, speechless, nodded and run over to Charles to help him move rocks from the Summers brothers. Ethan took some more breath and look around to find Magneto flying right into his Genetic Enhancers, which closed after him. In the other side, he saw Evan try stop Quicksilver. Ethan came to his feet and walk over. Evan just got stop at the speedster when Ethan use his powers to make Quicksilver feel a rock hit him so hard he got unconcern.

"What did you do?" Evan asked him.

"Just tricking his mind like you do on the plan." Ethan answer and got a smile from the young X-Men.

"A game of basketball after this?" Evan asked and Ethan nodded.

The place start to shake and both Ethan and Evan look at Avalanche, but he didn't do anything.

"Come on guys!" Toad told his team mates.

"Why are Toad here?" Ethan asked Evan how just raised his shoulders, but different from his father, he had no clue.

"Whose side are you on, anyway?" Avalanche asked Toad.

"The side that lives!" Ethan and Evan watched as Blob run across the room and smashed through the rocks that had covered the way to the Black Bird.

"Everyone, come on!" Storm called and Ethan look around to see his father and Jean not being seem to go soon. He turns back to Evan.

"Take Quicksilver and go." he told him before running over to Jean's side. Scott's blasts was seen and a lot of smoke came before Ethan could see the brothers come out to sight. Ethan thought they would be happy to see them, as did Jean, but they were both surprised than Scott was all angry.

"You and the others, you have running everything! This was our chance to unite all of us!" Jean looked choked and Ethan wanted to hit him, but Jean held her hand up for him to stay back. He didn't like it but did as she wanted. He would never understand the bond she had with Scott was.

"Unite for what, Scott, and what cost? Look what Magneto did to you."

"He's helped me. I'm involved. No more training, more hurdles." Ethan start to think he sounded more and more crazy. "My powers are now at my mercy!"

"Yeah," Jean said, "so you blasted your friends with it." Ethan didn't like how she sounded. It was so… like she had been betrayed. "How united is that?"

"You don't understand!" Havok cut in, making Ethan losing his patience and stand between Jean and the boys. He might have made her angrier, but he didn't care. Fine, she could take Scott, but Alex? Ethan didn't trust him as he didn't know what he would be able to do. He at least knew Scott wouldn't hurt Jean if he had a brain. "We are the future!" Ethan didn't like the guy's way to talk, but he didn't move more than to stand between them and Jean. Ready if they would try something.

"Really, Scott? Are you the future? Because if you are I don't want any part of it." Jean turn and walk away. Ethan eyed Scott and was a second from using his powers. "Ethan!" Jean yelled and he look back.

"Coming." he said and look at Scott one more time.

"Didn't thought you could sink this low." he muttered before walking after Jean. He could still hear his father's words before he also turns to drive away.

"You are right. Mutant shouldn't be divided, but we didn't draw the line. Magneto did and it's still there. You just passed over it."

Ethan run so he came up beside Jean. She didn't look at him and he had a feeling she was angry, so he didn't say anything as they walk to the Black Bird and boarded. As he almost had expected Scott and Alex came running in the end before they left. Just as they lifted and asteroid lost its power and fall down Scott and Alex was lucky Jean had the chance to use her powers so they fly the small way over to the jet. Ethan saw sound wave came from the asteroid get destroyed and like he knew, or understood, what would happen he acted.

"Jean! Scott, close your eyes!" Jean lost the focus and lost the power over both the guys and the blasts from Scott hit the jet, making it shake and move so Jean almost felled out. Ethan, however, took her hand and as he pulled her in he went outside himself.

"Ethan!" Charles called. "Jean!"

"I can't reach him!" Ethan was falling and he didn't have any wings. He saw Scott and Alex take each other's hands and use their power to slow the fall. He knew to manipulate air would be a waste of time to try so Ethan only got one idea.

"Come on, you can do this." he told himself and start to rub his hands against each other. "Fire, come one. Give me something big." he held his hands out and focused to start a fire, nothing happened. "Damn, come on!" he yelled and the ground came closer. "Come on!" it was to close. Ethan thought he would hit the ground hard, but in the last minute he got fire from his hands. They didn't stop him from falling but like a rocket it thought the air and he landed like he had just fallen five meters.

"Rogue, give Scott his glasses, I will get Ethan!" Jean told Rogue who nodded and the girls run to their different directions. "Ethan, are you okay?" Jean asked as she sat down by his side. He was laying on his stomach, but roll over to his back.

"It depends on." he answers her. "Are you angry at me?" Jean smiled at him.

"No," she answers and then turn her face back to serious, "but we do need to talk." Ethan close his eyes and nodded as best he could while lying on his back.

"I know." he responded. He opened his eyes again and saw Scott talk to his father and get help by his brother to stand. They were both in their normal younger self. Ethan thought about the explosion. He had seen two sphere leave before it exploded. Meaning bother his mother and Magneto was still out there. "Does this mean I could ask you out for dinner?"

"Like a date?" Jean asked.

"Yeah, I mean… you and Duncan is not 'together' together, are you?"

"No, we not," she answers, "but-"

"I get it, Jean." Ethan cut her off and look away from her to the sky instead. "I'm sorry I made you angry and I didn't tell you everything, but…" he looks back at her, "you have always been there for me and I will be there for you. I like you Jean."

"I like you too." she responded and smiled. He looks confuse at her, "you didn't let me talk to the point before interrupting me."

"Sorry." he cut in. "What was you going to say."

"That I'm not dating Duncan, but if we are going to try with _us_ together, I _need_ you to be hundred percent honest with me. No secrets." Ethan nodded. "You promise?"

"I promise. When we are back home I will tell you everything. Where I was and… who I was with, but you need to hear me out before jumping to conclusion, okay?"

"Okay." Jean said and stood up. She held her hand out and Ethan took it. He lay his arm around her as his legs damaged a bit and he limped.

"Ethan?" Charles asked. "Are you okay?" he hadn't want to interop as he saw him talk to Jean and it had looked serious. Ethan nodded.

"Yes, I am. How are everyone else?"

"Seems like everyone is fine."

"Gut, can we go home now?" Nightcrawler asked.

"Yes Kurt, we can." Charles answer and they all boarded the Black Bird.

Two days after they had come home Ethan sat in his father's office. As he waited for his father he thought about when he had told Jean everything about his powers, the doors and Emma. She had sure not like it, but she understood it was now in the past and the night they had spent had she just not want to know more about. She had been a bit upset about some things, however, it was a lot talk about Mystique being his mother and later she had made him talk to Kurt about it. Turn out he just thought it was cool Ethan would be his brother. Alex was back in his home in Hawaii, and Scott was back to being Scott. Nothing really change more than Jean and Ethan being closer. Not a couple, yet, but they were working on it. Logan had also become trustier it seems. Lance, Todd, Pietro and Bob was back in their home. Which was great as the X-Men plus Ethan now had a house to renovate a bit. Ethan had also been a fast visit at Emma's house the day after he had told Jean, he had thought about it and decided to let his father help him with the training as he didn't want anything with Emma to do. A plus that Jean seem to like his decision as well.

Ethan repeated the memory at Emma's as his father had yet not come.

 _"_ _I'm only here to get my things, nothing more nothing less." Ethan said as Emma had opened the door and he walk into see his phone on the couch with his close and bag. It was like she had known he would come, and of course she had._

 _"_ _Ethan, listen to me. I'm sorry."_

 _"_ _For what? Taking my memory or not telling me?" she didn't reply. "I'm thankful that you helped me, but I can stay here. When you need your favor, I will help you, until then I don't want to see you." he starts to walk to the door, but she stops him by standing in the way._

 _"_ _I could give your memories back." Ethan snort and had a smirk on his face._

 _"_ _That's just the thing, Emma. I_ don't _want them back, we might have had something, but it was you who took that away. Have a nice life." he said and walk past her. Not turning back._

Ethan jumped as his father enter the room.

"You and Jean seem to have talk a lot when we came home." he said as he drives over to the side behind his desk to be able and face Ethan, who nodded.

"Yeah, I told her everything I know and she seem to take it well."

"So, you two are giving the more than a friend thing a chance?"

"We are taking it easy, not telling anyone in case it ends bad or something." Ethan answer. "You were and are right dad," he confessed and thought back at than he had been about to suffocate. "I do love her. Guess it took me almost to die and maybe lose her to understand that."

"But you did in the end, that's what counts."

"Yeah I guess." Ethan agreed. Charles saw his son had something on his mind.

"A penny for your thoughts?" he joked and Ethan laugh as he stood up and look out through the window.

"I was thinking about the X-Men and this talk now to get new recruits and all."

"And?" Charles asked.

"I think I want to join the X-Men, but," his father look tense, "I don't want any new suit, I of some reason already has an 'X' on my jacket and belt. And another thing, I might be in the team and all under Scott's lead if it comes to it, but remember that I might stop follow his orders the second they become stupid."

"Ethan, that's nothing you can decide." Charles told him. "If you are in a team the others will have to trust you, you will have to trust them as well. Scott being the one taking order is because they trust him know what to do." Ethan looked at him then back out again there he saw Jean and the others in the team playing basketball with Evan kicking them easy. Ethan would guess they would start use power anytime.

"I make you a deal than." Ethan said and turn to face his father. "I will learn to trust them and they me. I will follow orders like the others on mission, but I will not have to be in recruit teams if I don't want to and I will not have to be on a mission if I don't want to or if I'm not needed."

"You will always be needed, Ethan."

"I still, will need a lot of training. I'm back as a newbie with my powers."

"I have a feeling you just want to feel free, aren't, that right?"

"Catch in the action." Ethan confess with a smirk.

"Very well." Charles said and hold his hand out for his son, Ethan took it. "Welcome to the X-Men."


End file.
